Tales from the Dark Kingdom II
by Stayka
Summary: This story deals with the tedious everyday life in the Dark Kingdom. Spotlight on Kunzite and Zoisite and Nephrite with his new student Obsidian. This story is coauthored by Shavana Rhea. Warning: non explicit, but heavy shounen ai content.
1. Chapter 1: Target Practice

**Target Practice**

**(Tales from the Dark Kingdom - Pt.5)**

**© 1997/10/03 by Stayka deyAvemta & Shavana Rhea**

When Zoisite woke up in the morning, he wondered if it was possible to feel any happier than he did right now. He lay in Kunzite's arms, breathed in his lover's now so familiar scent, while his body was relaxed with the drowsy contentment of another night of pure ecstasy.

"I wonder if you can imagine how much I love you," he sighed. "I can't even fully grasp it myself."

He studied the face of his still sleeping companion. Kunzite's skin was a shade darker than his, and shimmering silver hair framed handsome features that he could watch for hours.

Kunzite awoke from Zoisite's movements and opened his breathtaking silvery grey eyes.

"Good morning, my-" He didn't come further as Zoisite interrupted him with a passionate kiss.

"It's nice that you're so eager, little rat, but we have to get up," Kunzite finally managed to say. "Remember, Queen Beryl wasn't pleased that we have neglected our duties quite a bit over the past few weeks. Fortunately she still doesn't seem to have a clue why, or else I'm sure she would be even more displeased."

"Awwww, my Lord Kunzite," Zoisite pouted.

"Now get up!" Kunzite gave him a light slap on the backside before he disappeared in the bath. Zoisite sat up sulkily and fetched his comb so that he could start his morning ritual of disentangling his long coppery golden hair.

Suddenly the comb broke in two with a loud crack, and Zoisite cursed. Maybe he should consider a short hairdo. He conjured another comb and started anew.

Kunzite returned from the bath, freshly washed hair gleaming like liquid silver. He was already dressed in his grey uniform and grinned at his lover. "I'll wait for you at the training range."

Zoisite gave him a reproachful look. "Don't complain about me being late again," he grumbled. "It _is_ all your fault, you know."

"Okay - _this_ time." Kunzite gave him a final kiss. It was too bad that they had to hide their love from the other inhabitants of the Dark Kingdom, but such emotions were generally frowned upon and only seen as means to exploit others. "See you in... well, when you're ready."

He disappeared in blue streaks of energy.

- - -

Nephrite shouted angrily through the hall, because his new student Obsidian enjoyed using him as a target of his exercises, and often enough he had almost succeeded in hitting him.

Kunzite appeared at a safe height of about five feet above the heads of those who were practicing. He knew that some of the youma and the other students weren't too accurate in their targeting. As Nephrite had to jump away again, just in time to avoid being fried by his newest student, Kunzite couldn't help but laugh.

Interested, Obsidian looked up to the floating man with the long, flowing cape. He had heard quite a lot about the most powerful of the four Kings, although he hadn't had the opportunity to meet him yet.

"Good morning, Nephrite." Kunzite smirked. "I take it this is the new student Beryl assigned you?" He folded his arms and examined the young man. Obsidian had dark blue violet hair that reached down to his waist and amethyst coloured eyes. He was quite handsome, but certainly no match for Zoisite.

"I can't deny it." Nephrite gave Obsidian a deadly look, and his pupil promptly lowered his gaze.

Nephrite had tried in vain to convince Beryl that he wasn't interested in taking a student anymore since he had almost been killed by Zoisite.

Now it seemed that Obsidian wanted to keep up the tradition; the almost hit of today wasn't the first attempt on his life. Nephrite still couldn't understand how Kunzite managed to get along with that malicious sneaky little weasel Zoisite, but obviously both were not only still alive, they even seemed to stick together most of the time.

"It seems he has still a lot to learn". Kunzite gazed at the smoking hole only a yard next to Nephrite.

"Indeed. Particularly discipline and obedience," the auburn-haired King grumbled.

Suddenly a swirl of cherry blossoms turned into Zoisite. The pretty young man had assumed another of his decorative poses and floated next to Kunzite.

"What's on the schedule today, Lord Kunzite?" he asked, the formal address slightly at odds with his adoring gaze.

Obsidian was fascinated by the pink cherry blossom petals. 'Peculiar design', he thought, before he had to turn his attention back to Nephrite who had started to shout at him again.

Zoisite gave the second King a reproachful gaze. "Could you turn down your volume a bit? If you continue that loud I might get a migraine." He played with his coppery golden ponytail.

"This is the training range, and as certain students seem to have really bad ears, I can't allow for your request." Nephrite barely managed to keep his tone reasonably calm. How he would like to strangle this insolent effeminate weasel!

Zoisite made a face. Only one little ice crystal, and there would be heavenly quiet... Unfortunately Kunzite waved him to a free booth.

Obsidian was forced to return to his target practice, too. It was true that he had defects in that area; his last hit was much too far away from Nephrite.

"Why don't you try out the energy boomerangs?" Kunzite suggested as Zoisite joined him. The young man rolled his eyes.

"Are you sure? They are _your_ specialty." But that gave him another idea, and he smiled evilly.

Suddenly someone screamed "_Take cover_!" and a purple boomerang flew straight towards Nephrite's back. Obsidian had likewise fired a new shot in the direction of his teacher, so Nephrite had just decided it would be the best decision to teleport to safety. The boomerang hit only empty air.

"Oops," Zoisite said disappointed, before he put on a smile of utmost innocence.

"Zoisite," Kunzite said reproachfully. "I thought your targeting abilities were better."

The young man sulked. "It's not my fault that Nephrite teleported away!"

"I heard that," came from Nephrite who had materialized in the vicinity.

Zoisite cast down his eyes and studied the tips of his boots. "It was an accident," he claimed.

"So? Then I'm consoled," Nephrite said ironically. "And now let's get to you." He turned his attention back to Obsidian. "It seems your chronic deafness has been joined by a serious visual defect." His student guiltily lowered his gaze.

Zoisite grinned self-satisfiedly, but was promptly reprimanded by Kunzite. "May I remind you that your target is _there_?" He pointed at the far end of the booth.

The copper-gold haired main grimaced. Well, he could always pretend it was Nephrite... Promptly he hit it with a quick succession of about a dozen ice crystals. "Gotcha!" Such an exercise was definitely no challenge for him. He would have preferred the real target.

Kunzite stepped closer to his student and regretted the fact that he couldn't wrap his arms around him and pull him into a tight embrace. "Zoisite, I suggest you don't show your disdain for Nephrite so openly," he said quietly. "It'll only lead to unwanted questions when he finally meets his premature end."

"But I can't stand him, Lord Kunzite!" Zoisite seemed to be on the verge of tears.

"My poor little rat." Furtively Kunzite caressed his lover's cheek. "I'd really like to know why you hate him that much."

"It's too embarassing," Zoisite sniffed, and Kunzite tenderly wiped away one tear that rolled down his cheek.

"Shhhh, little one," he soothed him. It was too bad that he couldn't comfort him properly. Well, he would have to keep that for later. "Now continue with your practice."

- - -

Nephrite sighed. He was really punished with this student! Actually Obsidian wasn't as incompetent as he wanted to make him believe, the King was sure, he just didn't feel like doing what his teacher wished.

This time Nephrite positioned himself behind Obsidian and turned him in the right direction. "One more miss and you'll deeply regret it," he warned him.

Obsidian looked back over his shoulder to his instructor. "Understood..." He decided to devote his mind completely to his exercises before Nephrite got really angry, but after a while the violet-haired man became more and more bored. Did they expect him to become a sniper?

Nephrite on the other hand only yearned for a quiet room where he could indulge in a good glass of wine. He had always known it - another student would become his ruin.

Fortunately this time Obsidian managed at least an average number of accurate hits, and Nephrite didn't have to scream at him again. The young man was relieved.

Suddenly a telepathic call from Queen Beryl reached Nephrite and ordered him with his pupil to the main audience chamber. Of course they had no choice but to follow the command immediately.

- - -

"I think it should be no problem to make it look like an accident," Zoisite mused and conjured a new boomerang that he balanced on the tip of his index finger.

It was easier to explain an 'accidental' hit with one of them as he could claim that he wasn't so sure with Kunzite's dearest weapon. No one would believe him that he had accidentally hit a wrong target with his ice crystals.

Kunzite sighed. "Don't. You've failed one attempt already today. Save it for tomorrow."

"That's not fair!" Zoisite pouted. "By the way - how long do I have to pretend to practice? You know that I won't miss a given target. I'd like to learn something else - something I don't know yet and that I can actually use."

"And what do you have in mind?"

"Poison!" A really wicked gleam appeared in Zoisite's emerald eyes.

"That's my murderous mean little rat," the older King said amusedly, while Zoisite looked suspiciously innocent as usual. Kunzite really wanted to know how the young man managed to do it; he still succeeded in fooling most people with his demeanor, even though they should know better by now.

"Although, with the amount of wine he always drinks I could even claim it was just alcohol poisoning..." Zoisite laughed gleefully.

Kunzite chuckled and gave him an affectionate look, when a call from Queen Beryl interrupted their conversation.

"Kunzite, Zoisite, report!"

"What does she want _now_!" Zoisite's mood abruptly darkened. He imagined the target as Queen Beryl and dissolved the boomerang, before he shot another ice crystal at the position where he envisioned the middle of her forehead. He scored a perfect hit.

"Well, we have to heed her call," Kunzite said.

They teleported into the main audience chamber and bowed before the majestic woman who was the absolute ruler of the Dark Kingdom - as long as they didn't manage to awaken the entity that was supposed to reign above her.

- - -

"What do _they_ want here?" escaped Zoisite when he discovered Nephrite and Obsidian. Queen Beryl shot him a furious glance, and Obsidian gazed at him with contempt while Nephrite chose to ignore him.

Kunzite sighed. Zoisite should _really_ work at restraining his impulsiveness, or his temper would some day become his undoing.

'What could Queen Beryl want of us?' Nephrite wondered. He was especially peeved at the presence of Zoisite. He didn't trust the vicious little weasel as far as he could throw him without magickal aid, and he was sure it would be his end if he ever turned his back to him while they were alone somewhere.

"Kunzite, Nephrite, I'd like to see how your students will perform when they are given a real task. - As you still haven't found the silver crystal, Zoisite, you will show me if you are at least able to gather some energy in the Earth Realm."

The young man looked down at the tips of his boots. It wasn't _his_ fault when Beryl couldn't give him either a more precise location or a description of that damn thing!

"The same task goes to you, Obsidian."

Nephrite grinned smugly when Zoisite was reprimanded, before he grimaced. The idea of visiting the Earth Realm together with Obsidian wasn't to his liking at all. His pupil always seemed to have other things in mind than the tasks he had been given, and he never seemed to finish anything either.

Beryl went on with her explanations. "You will check out the region Europe which Kunzite has already reported as a viable energy source." She conjured a map that showed Europe and pointed a finger at a random spot. "You will go right _there_ and start to collect energy."

"What's 'there'?" Zoisite asked and floated a bit higher so that he could see something. It was unfair, he thought, the others were all taller than him. Even the new guy was almost as tall as Kunzite! For that alone, Zoisite decided not to like him.

"Paris?" Obsidian read the inscription. "What is that?"

"A town in Europe," Beryl thundered. The quality of her troops became worse and worse, it seemed.

"Why do they always have to scream that loudly?" Obsidian muttered. First Nephrite, now Queen Beryl...

"I heard that, you insolent whelp!" Queen Beryl gave Nephrite a more than disapproving look. "Your pupil is as bad as Zoisite!"

The 'bad example' blushed and sulked. 'That was mean', he thought and continued to study the ground while he invented some creative methods to murder Queen Beryl. Nephrite and Obsidian joined him in watching the tips of their boots.

Kunzite couldn't help but grin at the display. Unfortunately that got the attention of his Queen, too.

"Take the silly smirk off your face," Beryl screamed angrily, and the first of the Kings decided that the wisest action would be to lower his gaze as well. The Queen was deeply satisfied at the display of submission.

Nephrite had to fight not to grin with malicious joy at the reprimand his rival had gotten from Beryl, while Zoisite only wanted to hide behind his mentor. The Queen's mood was frightening, and Kunzite had promised that he would always protect him. Somehow he would get her, though, Zoisite swore to himself, but it was safer to resort to a sneak attack.

Obsidian wondered how long they had to stand around uselessly. He wanted to see this 'Paris'.

"Now go!" The Queen dismissed them with a wave of her hand. "I expect you to work together."

Zoisite gave Kunzite a shocked look. As usual Beryl had saved the worst for the end. _He_ was supposed to work with _Nephrite_! The second of the Kings returned the gaze of the small man, likewise horrified.

Kunzite only sighed. On the other hand, he thought, that gave him more excuses to comfort his beloved.

Obsidian glanced impatiently at his tutor. What were they waiting for?

"What are you waiting for?" Queen Beryl thundered. "You are dismissed!"

The four men immediately teleported into their quarters to prepare for their trip.

- - -

"Are you sure she really meant that we are supposed to work with Nephrite?" Zoisite asked incredulously when Kunzite and he had materialized in Kunzite's house.

"That's what I heard as well."

"That's unfair!" Zoisite threw himself into Kunzite's arms, and the tall man gently stroked his wavy, coppery golden hair.

"I'm sorry, my little rat, but we have to follow Beryl's orders." Kunzite lifted Zoisite's chin and kissed him tenderly.

"Maybe we could lose them once we've arrived in that town..." Zoisite wrapped his arms around his lover's waist and rested his head against his shoulder.

"I don't think that's what Beryl had in mind."

"We could tell her it was an accident."

"I don't think she'll believe you that," Kunzite grinned. Several of Zoisite's rivals had met more or less deadly 'unfortunate accidents' in the last months.

Zoisite pouted and Kunzite couldn't resist comforting him thoroughly.

- - -

In the meantime Nephrite loudly cursed his orders, Queen Beryl and - just for good measure - Obsidian, too.

When he had almost grown hoarse, he decided to pour himself a large glass of his favourite wine. It was the only way to survive the coming job.

In his quarters Obsidian waited impatiently for Nephrite's command to start. It seemed he wasn't in a hurry, though, as he didn't contact him for about an hour.

- - -

"Well, we should ask Nephrite when he wants us to go and join him," Kunzite finally said.

"Maybe I can arrange an accident for him when we're in the Earth Realm," Zoisite said thoughtfully, and his emerald eyes immediately lit up. Again Kunzite congratulated himself on the oath he had forced on Zoisite that made it impossible for the young man to harm him in any way.

"And when we've gotten rid of Nephrite we could take the vacation we talked about." Zoisite snuggled closer to Kunzite. "This Obsidian guy should be an even smaller problem."

"I'm not sure if Beryl will look kindly at your frequent assassination plans, little rat. I fear this time we should actually work together with them. - Well, let's go now."

"Just a moment, I have to straighten my hair first. _Then_ we can go." Zoisite started to work on his hairdressing while he watched Kunzite affectionately.

"Good idea," Kunzite agreed and looked for his brush. He couldn't understand why Zoisite always accused _him_ of messing up _his_ hair when it was actually the other way round. "I only hope Nephrite and Obsidian are ready to go. I want to get through with this as fast as possible."

- - -

Of course Obsidian didn't stay in his room after Nephrite hadn't shown up for over an hour. He decided to walk over to the quarters of his instructor.

When Nephrite opened the door, he held a bottle of wine in his hand.

"When are we going to leave?" Obsidian wanted to know.

"When the others have decided to honour us with their presence," Nephrite said acidly.

"And when..." Obsidian began.

"How am I supposed to know that?" Nephrite barked at him. Obsidian shook his head. He hated this continuous shouting.

Nonetheless he tortured his instructor with hundreds of further questions about their target area, and Nephrite needed another glass of wine to cope.

Suddenly Kunzite and Zoisite materialized. They seemed to be in suspiciously high spirits and exchanged some peculiar glances. "We're ready - what about you?" the silver-haired man asked.

"I've been ready for quite some time now," Obsidian said pertly.

"So am I." Nephrite put his glass on the table.

"Good." With a wave of his hand Kunzite formed a black doorway that led straight to the Earth Realm. "Come." He took the lead.

While Nephrite stood up listlessly, Obsidian stormed after Kunzite. Zoisite gave the other student an evil glare as he tried to overtake him. That was _his_ place, he thought. Obsidian had gazed at Kunzite in much too friendly a fashion anyway.

When Obsidian became aware of Zoisite's look he wondered what the small man had against him. As far as he could remember he hadn't played even one of his practical jokes on him yet.

The End of Pt.5

**Disclaimer**: _SailorMoon_ is the property of Takeuchi Naoko, Kodansha and Toei Animation. All characters, settings etc. are used without permission. This is an amateur fiction, and I definitely won't make any money of it.

© by Stayka deyAvemta (zoisite(at)dark-kingdom.de) and Shavana Rhea Dark Kingdom Home at http/www.dark-kingdom.de


	2. Chapter 2: Paris by Night

**Paris by Night**

**(Tales from the Dark Kingdom - Pt.6)**

**© 1997/10/05 by Stayka deyAvemta & Shavana Rhea**

It was night in Paris, France, when the two mightiest Kings of the Dark Kingdom materialized with their students in a small street that lead to a brightly illuminated large road.

Queen Beryl wanted the two younger men to prove that they were a worthy addition to her ranks, while their tutors were supposed to oversee their efforts.

The four men left the byway and looked curiously around. Unfortunately they couldn't understand anything of the foreign symbols on the neon signs that adorned the houses along the wide road.

Obsidian studied the colourful lights. They looked really nice, he thought.

"I sense a lot of energy here that only waits to be harvested," Kunzite declared. The first among the Kings flapped his long, white cape and immediately became the center of attention of the passers-by that strolled through the night. Of course it helped that he was tall, handsome and had long, flowing silvery white hair that shimmered like starlight.

Nephrite shook his head. Kunzite's showiness was legendary. As usual Zoisite looked at his mentor and lover with utter admiration.

Obsidian had caught some of the looks that Kunzite and Zoisite exchanged, and he was getting more and more curious. He was sure there was a secret to uncover.

"Well, Zoisite, it's your turn now," Kunzite said. "Queen Beryl wants to see how you perform."

"That's what I wanted to say, too," Nephrite told Obsidian. The violet-haired man gazed confusedly at his instructor. He had already completely forgotten what he was supposed to do.

"And what exactly do you want me to _do_?" Zoisite looked helplessly at Kunzite. He prefered it when the older King told him what was expected.

Stressed, Nephrite sighed. He had feared something like that. Their current assignment certainly would end catastrophically. He took a deep breath and rebuked Obsidian for his inattention, before he reiterated the tasks Queen Beryl expected them to solve. Hopefully this time his pupil would remember the job.

While Nephrite shouted at Obsidian, Kunzite employed a much calmer tone with Zoisite. "Little rat, just try to collect some energy - preferably more than Obsidian," he sighed. "Be creative!"

The pretty young man gave him such a tragic look out of his emerald eyes that Kunzite almost forgot himself. He needed every bit of willpower to refrain from pulling his beloved close and comfortingly stroking his wavy gold-copper hair.

When he had finished barking at Obsidian, Nephrite shook his head. It would become a disaster, he was perfectly sure. Now he became aware that Obsidian had found a store window and decided to admire his reflection. Promptly Nephrite reprimanded him again. The second of the Kings wished for nothing more than one or two or better three bottles of wine.

"Creative?" Zoisite echoed. He looked around and discovered the window where Obsidian stood. Promptly he stepped beside him and rearranged his bangs, before he looked over his shoulder to Kunzite. "Where are we supposed to store the energy anyway?"

Nephrite tried once more to drive the importance of the task home to Obsidian, but the unappreciative look out of his amethyst eyes almost drove the King to desperation.

"Lord Kunzite, I'd prefer to take a vacation with you," Zoisite pleaded in a low voice so that the others weren't able to overhear him. "Let's forget about that energy..."

"I don't think Beryl would be pleased, little rat." Kunzite likewise answered sotto voce.

Nephrite tried to make that plain to Obsidian, too. 'A Kingdom for a bottle of strong wine', he thought.

"Maybe we should have consulted Jadeite first," Kunzite said to his auburn-haired collegue. "He has experimented with energy collecting measures for some time now. Or do you have any idea of how to store the stuff properly?"

"No," Nephrite admitted.

"But I'm supposed to know it, huh?" Obsidian sulked. He tried in vain to straighten his slightly tousled hair. With a grin Kunzite lent him his brush, an act that Zoisite acknowledged with a murderous gaze in Obsidian's direction.

It was amusing to tease Zoisite a little, Kunzite discovered. His fits of jealousy were really sweet.

Nephrite looked up to the stars, his only reliable companions. He desperately needed a drink.

As the attention of Nephrite and Obsidian was directed elsewhere, Kunzite smiled and gave Zoisite a reconciling kiss that actually seemed to calm him down a bit.

"What about looking for a restaurant where we can sit down and try to work on a plan?" Kunzite suggested. They should get away from those shopping windows, or Obsidian would admire himself every ten yards. At least he had returned the brush, and Kunzite dissolved it in a sparkle of energy until it was needed again.

When Obsidian heard the magic word 'restaurant', he was eager to go on. He loved good food, and the chefs in the Dark Kingdom left much to be desired. Some youma had told him that the Earth Realm had a lot of amenities to offer, among which were interesting culinary pleasures.

Unfortunately they still weren't able to read the signs, and so they went into the first establishment they saw.

- - -

They had entered a nightclub with several stages where scantily clad young women performed rather indecent dances. Some of the girls were even quite beautiful underneath their thick make-up, Kunzite observed.

Zoisite fumed when he became aware of the targets of Kunzite's gaze. He definitely should remind him of the proper distribution of ownership.

Obsidian wondered if they could really get something to eat in this place. Only Nephrite was satisfied. He had spotted the bar and steered directly to it. For want of a better idea the others followed him.

On the way Zoisite gazed murderously at the girls that had drawn Kunzite's attention, and they decided to give their smiles to some less dangerous looking patrons. Zoisite put on a self-satisfied grin.

Nephrite's trainee considered his surroundings absolutely fascinating. In fact, he found them so captivating that he sometimes forgot to watch his step.

Zoisite thought they should look for a more suitable establishment. He couldn't stand it when he wasn't given Kunzite's undivided attention, and unfortunately his lover often tended to be distracted by persons of beauty.

"I hate it when you admire other people," Zoisite sulked when Nephrite and his pupil were out of hearing range. "Let's find a _real_ restaurant. I don't think we'll find anything to eat here."

Obsidian watched the girls interestedly, while he took care to stay in the vicinity of Nephrite. The King finally had gotten his wine and was happy as long as the source didn't dry up.

"It seems as if Nephrite is rather content to stay here," Kunzite observed. "What would you say if I promise you not to look at anybody other than you while we're here?"

"Good." Zoisite was almost consoled.

Obsidian on the other hand began to get bored. Unlike his instructor, he didn't like wine.

Kunzite decided to join Nephrite at the bar. He wasn't overly fond of his collegue - in fact, he wouldn't miss him at all, should he meet an untimely end - but if he wasn't allowed to watch the pretty people here, he could at least have some drinks. Zoisite followed him like a shadow and observed his every move.

Nephrite slowly emptied the third glass of wine and finally felt better. There was no other way to cope with the demands of his job. As Obsidian was deadly bored by now, and he spent his time watching Zoisite who possessively looked at Kunzite.

"Well," Kunzite began. "We _should_ start to work on our plan, but this doesn't see like a suitable location."

"He's right," Zoisite immediately agreed. "Let's leave and find a place with fewer patrons and no scantily clad women." He couldn't understand why Kunzite liked to peek at them when he had _him_, but the less temptation the better.

"Whatever you wish," Nephrite said. "I have gotten what I wanted." He paid with some money from a purse that he had telekinetically stolen from another patron. He had money himself, but he was sure no one here would care for the Japanese Yen he normally carried around in the identity of Sanjouin Masato.

Kunzite decided to follow Nephrite's example. That was a good idea.

"Then let's go." Zoisite stormed off in the direction of the exit, and Obsidian followed him. He wanted to know where he went, as he as usual hadn't listened to the conversation.

Kunzite sighed and joined Zoisite who seemed to be rather upset again - or still. It certainly would take hours to calm him down and reconcile with him tonight, he was sure.

Nephrite took the additional wine bottle he had bought and followed the others. Where exactly did they want to go now? He only hoped it wasn't too far.

This time Zoisite inspected the establishments first. Finally he found a nice restaurant which he deemed suitable. Obsidian was right behind him. He smelled food.

The copper-gold haired man gave him a vicious look. He didn't like anyone at his back. Well, with Kunzite he made an exception, but certainly not with anyone who was in any way connected with Nephrite. Obsidian ignored Zoisite's glare. He only wanted something to eat.

The restaurant was small and furnished in dark wood. The tables stood in booths, and only about half of them were occupied. They sat down at a free table and Zoisite chose a place opposite Kunzite so that he could keep his eyes on him all the time.

Obsidian found that highly amusing. He had the suspicion there was something more behind it than a normal mentor-student relationship.

A waiter brought them the menu, and as he mistook Zoisite for a woman, the pretty young man was served first. Kunzite found that highly amusing, especially when his lover was addressed as _mam'zelle_. Obsidian and Nephrite almost burst from laughter, and Zoisite fumed.

When they had calmed down, they took a look at the menus, before they frowned and exchanged stressed looks as they couldn't make any sense of the writing.

Nephrite was relieved that he had his bottle of wine.

"Lord Kunzite?" Zoisite looked hopefully into his eyes. "Can _you_ read that?"

"I'm afraid not," he admitted.

"But how can we get something to eat then?"

"We just show the waiter one of the lines and hope for the best," Kunzite replied dryly.

Nephrite sighed and looked fondly at his bottle. If they didn't get anything edible - at least he had his wine.

Shortly after the waiter arrived and asked in French what they wished to order. Zoisite stared at him blankly. Why hadn't Beryl chosen an area where the people spoke Japanese? The others hadn't understood one word either.

Obsidian, who was really hungry, just pointed at some lines of the menu. There should be something there that he could eat. The others followed suit, and Nephrite showed the waiter his bottle and made some signs that he would like more of it. When the waiter asked the others a last question, they decided to nod politely. Now they had to wait.

Nephrite's pupil started to get bored again and played with the desk lamp, which was decorated with nice colourful stones.

Zoisite was frustrated about the presence of Nephrite and Obsidian. Now he couldn't even hold hands with Kunzite or tell him what he felt for him. He sighed. Damn Queen Beryl and her command that they had to work together!

"How are we supposed to collect the energy?" Obsidian asked curiously. As long as there was no food around he could think about his task.

"We need something to bottle it in," Zoisite remarked. Since he couldn't spend his time with Kunzite as he would prefer, he might as well ponder the job. Kunzite gave him an approving smile.

"I don't think we can put it in a tin can," Obsidian said ironically.

"But maybe we can conjure some containment field," Zoisite suggested. He gave Kunzite a look full of hope. "You could do that, couldn't you?"

"Of course. But it takes energy to maintain it as well."

"That's too bad," Obsidian commented. "Can't we do it without continuously spending energy?"

"Not if you want to employ a containment field," Kunzite declared. Zoisite sighed, and Kunzite had to fight not to stroke the coppery golden hair of his partner.

"That's much too straining," Obsidian sulked, and Nephrite took a deep sip from his bottle. Fortunately the waiter appeared with two more bottles of wine and four glasses. Zoisite looked puzzled. He couldn't remember that he had ordered any wine. Again he was served first. Well, sometimes there were advantages in being mistaken for a female, he thought.

Nephrite was relieved when he got the new bottle. The other was almost empty by now. Obsidian shook his head. He didn't like wine at all, it was much too sour.

Zoisite sipped from his glass. It wasn't as sweet as he would have liked, but he was sure he could get used to it. Kunzite gave him a warning look. The young man needed to be careful with the alcohol. Who knew what he would do or say if he got drunk. Of course his lover refused to heed the warning, and so Kunzite fatalistically decided to take a long sip as well.

"I thought we wanted to put together a plan?" Obsidian was annoyed. There had to be a way to save the energy without straining work, but the others seemed to care more for the wine than for their task.

"Oh yeah, the plan..." Reluctantly Zoisite ripped his gaze from Kunzite's marvellous platinum eyes. "We just need some means to store energy that doesn't need more energy to be maintained. That's all."

"If it's that easy, why haven't you figured out something by now?"

"I'm working on it," Zoisite pouted.

"I'm waiting."

Zoisite gave him another of his murderous glares, while Obsidian returned a look of utter innocence. Kunzite sighed. Now there were two of them who pretended to be oh so innocent... He didn't believe either.

"Well?" Obsidian asked five minutes later.

"You were _also_ given this task!" Zoisite retorted. "Why don't _you_ think of something, too?"

"I'm sure you're better at it."

Zoisite grumbled something. Why didn't Kunzite come up with an idea? He looked up to him. When Obsidian noticed this, he also directed his gaze at the silver-haired man.

"Okay, okay, I give up," the King resigned. "We might try to use some magickal crystals," he proposed.

"Good. But how?" Obsidian inquired further.

"_You_ were given the job. I gave you an idea. Now work with it."

Obsidian sulked. That was mean. Zoisite looked first at the violet-haired man, then at his lover. He knew that Kunzite liked to watch people who pouted, but he shouldn't dare to look at Obsidian in the way he looked at him.

"The task is much too difficult," Obsidian grumbled.

"You only say that because you're not capable of accomplishing it," Zoisite said with contempt.

"That's was I said," Obsidian agreed. "I'm just not good enough with all of this magickal mumbo jumbo."

"That's too true," Nephrite sighed.

Kunzite grimaced. "Well, then it's up to you, my little rat." When he realized that he had addressed Zoisite with his pet name he blushed slightly, took another sip of the wine and hoped that the others hadn't noticed.

Unfortunately Obsidian _had_ noticed, and he filed it among the other pecularities. There had to be something...

Zoisite tried to conjure a crystal that might do what they wanted it to do, but all he managed was a rectangular ice crystal.

"Hm." Obsidian frowned. "It's thawing."

"Ooops." Zoisite put on an apologetic mien. "Well, I am best with ice crystals, you know..."

"I do know. But I think more durable crystals would help us more."

"Why don't _you_ conjure something more durable!" Zoisite said angrily.

"Me? No, I can't do it."

"I think you really should put some effort to it", Nephrite chided. "You're not supposed to let others work for you."

Obsidian gave his instructor the 'totally innocent' look.

"Don't look at me this way," Nephrite shouted. "You will put your best effort to it, or I will see to it that you will regret your attitude."

Zoisite grinned at the reprimand Obsidian got.

"You could try it once more, too," Kunzite told him.

"As you wish, Lord Kunzite," Zoisite sighed.

The students continued their attempts to produce a crystal with the needed properties, but to no avail. Obsidian conjured pretty glass stones, while Zoisite settled on ice crystals of various forms and sizes.

The violet-haired man asked himself how he was supposed to conjure something he didn't know anything about, but he didn't dare oppose Nephrite, especially when he wasn't sober and watched him angrily.

Zoisite gazed miserably at Kunzite. Why didn't he give him a hint how to do it? He was so much better in conjuring stuff. The older King sighed and gave in. He just couldn't resist those wonderful emerald eyes. Only seconds later Zoisite could admire a clear, light violet crystal that seemed to have the properties they needed.

"Please, Lord Nephrite, how does it work?" Obsidian asked after the next failure. Nephrite only wanted to know why he was punished with such an incapable pupil. He glared at him warningly.

Finally the food arrived. The amount of it astonished them all, and Zoisite wondered if the others had also pointed to half a dozen lines each. At least the stuff smelled really good. He took one of the plates and found out that it tasted even better.

Obsidian also devoured his chosen meal before he started on the next. He was hungry and this was excellent.

When neither Zoisite nor Obsidian complained, Kunzite tried another meal. Now the only thing that lacked was Zoisite as dessert, and everything would be perfect. He gave his beloved an amorous look, until he became aware that he was slightly tipsy. Immediately he fought to regain his control.

Obsidian examined Kunzite thoughtfully, until he directed his attention to Nephrite who had definitely drunken enough. He wondered if his mentor was still able to stand or walk.

Zoisite had cleaned his plate and felt absolutely stuffed. He took out the crystal Kunzite had conjured and admired the play of the light within it. He felt a little bit dizzy from the wine and gave Kunzite a longing look. They should find an excuse to retire really soon.

Obsidian had the impression that he was being completely ignored by his three companions, and he didn't like it at all. "Is there anything else I can do, or am I allowed to go now?" he asked.

Nephrite looked deep into his glass where the light lit up the deep red wine and didn't hear his student, while Kunzite and Zoisite only had eyes for each other. Obsidian decided to crumple a napkin and threw it at Zoisite.

"Hello," he called.

They immediately looked to Obsidian, and Zoisite blushed furiously, while Kunzite decided to direct his attention at his wine glass.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, but I'd like to go, and I think, Nephrite should do the same."

"Err... Ahem..." Zoisite gazed back to Kunzite. "What do you say?"

"I think we should retire for the night and meet tomorrow after breakfast," Kunzite declared.

"Good." Obsidian tried to convince Nephrite to get up, while Kunzite put together the money he had lifted and payed for the meal.

Zoisite tried to stand up and staggered. He had only had two glasses of wine, but it still was a bit too much for him, it seemed. As Kunzite seemed to stand straighter, he decided to hold on to him and clung to his arm.

Obsidian had no choice but to drag Nephrite along. Two bottles of wine were more than enough, it seemed.

"And where do we stay for the night?" Zoisite wanted to know. He rested his head against his lover's shoulder. The world seemed to revolve around him, and Kunzite was a steady landmark.

"I'd prefer to return to the Dark Kingdom," he said and looked at Obsidian and Nephrite. "What about you?"

"I agree," Obsidian nodded. "I don't think I have another choice."

Kunzite waved with his free hand, and a black doorway appeared.

"Where does it lead?" Obsidian asked suspiciously. Kunzite wasn't completely sober either.

"Directly into my house. That's a location I know well enough, even when I'm a little ...tired."

"A little ...tired," Obsidian echoed quietly and tried to hinder Nephrite from loudly singing some bawdy songs. Kunzite shook his head and walked through the doorway.

They appeared in his bedroom. He sighed. Sometimes the subconscious inadvertently influenced the choice of the doorway's exact location... The room was pretty untidy; the bed wasn't made and some clothes lay around. Kunzite was only glad that Zoisite's uniform also was dark grey, even though the lining of his was green, so it shouldn't be too obvious.

Obsidian followed with Nephrite. When he became aware where they had appeared, he shook his head.

"I said we'd appear in my house and we did," Kunzite declared and blushed slightly. Zoisite still clung to his arm, with a slight smile on his face and eyes closed.

"You should consider tidying up the room once in a while," Obsidian commented.

"It's not my fault when Queen Beryl calls at the most improper times," Kunzite grumbled. He was glad when he managed to get dressed in time, how was he supposed to take care of the room as well?

"You have to be prepared at any time to be called in front of the Queen," Obsidian recited one of the rules that Nephrite had always tried in vain to get into his head.

"But that doesn't mean I have to make my bed. And Queen Beryl has definitely no business here anyway," the first of the Kings declared in a huff.

"She hasn't?"

The look of disgust on Kunzite's face spoke volumes.

"Ah," Obsidian nodded satisfied. So _that_ rumour seemed to be unsubstantiated.

"Well, didn't you want to take Nephrite to his quarters?"

"Actually, I don't _want_ to, but I seem to have no other choice..."

"Then do it! - You're dismissed."

"You're not my direct superior. That's Nephrite." Still, Obsidian took his mentor home and retired as well.

Kunzite gave him a final glare, before he carried Zoisite to the bed. The little rat needed to sleep off his intoxication.

The End of Pt.6

**Disclaimer**: _SailorMoon_ is the property of Takeuchi Naoko, Kodansha and Toei Animation. All characters, settings etc. are used without permission. This is an amateur fiction, and I definitely won't make any money of it.

© by Stayka deyAvemta (zoisite(at)dark-kingdom.de) and Shavana Rhea Dark Kingdom Home at http/www.dark-kingdom.de


	3. Chapter 3: Revelations

**Revelations**

**(Tales from the Dark Kingdom - Pt.7)**

**© 1997/10/05 by Stayka deyAvemta & Shavana Rhea**

"Oh my head!" Zoisite groaned pitifully when he woke up. Kunzite - already fully dressed in the usual grey uniform - sat on the edge of the bed and grinned at him.

"I told you not to drink that much."

"I only had two glasses of wine," Zoisite whined and held his head. Even in this miserable state he still looked absolutely beautiful, Kunzite observed. The long, wavy strands of coppery gold hair looked like streams of glowing molten rock on the dark blue coverlet.

"My poor little rat," he soothed him and gave him a tender kiss on the forehead. "Maybe a shower will help."

- - -

When Obsidian arrived at the door of Nephrite's quarters punctually in the morning, he only heard a pained groan when he knocked.

"Cut the noise - I'm on the way."

"It's time to go," Obsidian declared, deliberately loudly and cheerfully, when he entered the quarters of his mentor.

Nephrite grimaced. "First I need something to get rid of this headache."

'It's all your own fault', Obsidian thought and couldn't stifle a malicious grin. Nephrite had downed at least two bottles of wine, if not more.

"Are the others already up?"

"Dunno. Shall I check on them?"

"Yes." Nephrite only wanted him to go away. He needed quiet and solitude.

Obsidian suspected that Zoisite was still at Kunzite's house. The small man hadn't looked as if he would go much farther that evening. He teleported to the large, haunted looking dwelling and rang.

- - -

After a prolonged shower Zoisite decided to return into the bed. He still felt dizzy and a little queasy.

Kunzite shook his head when Zoisite pulled the coverlet up to his nose so that only the large emerald eyes peered out. The silver-haired king conjured a huge cup of strong coffee and placed it on the shelf next to the bed.

"Zoisite, drink this. Maybe _that_ will help you wake up and feel better."

"I don't _want_ to be awake. My head hurts!"

"Oh, there's someone at the door," Kunzite remarked when he heard the doorbell. He sent the mental impulse that opened the door. "_You_ stay right there!" he told Zoisite, before he put on his cape and went downstairs to meet the visitor.

"I don't want to get up anyway," Zoisite moaned and closed his eyes when Kunzite was gone.

Obsidian strode into the entry hall. "Hello", he chimed cheerfully. Kunzite floated down the stairs.

"Good morning," he replied, all business. "I commend you on your punctuality."

"Really?" Obsidian thought it was rather late in the morning.

"Indeed. I have not even had my breakfast yet." Kunzite only hoped that Zoisite would consider getting up and moreover getting dressed in the meantime.

"But it's rather late, isn't it?"

"I can't remember giving an exact time," Kunzite grinned. "I only said 'after breakfast'."

"And of course you meant _yours_..."

"What did you think? Rank has its privileges," the first of the Kings said smugly.

"One more reason to aspire a higher rank," Obsidian remarked.

"Indeed." Kunzite smiled inwardly, as the comment reminded him of his ambitious little rat. Well, it was Nephrite who had to be really careful.

"Are you ready now?" Obsidian wanted to go right on the spot.

"Well, _I_ am..." Kunzite sighed. Probably Zoisite had gone to sleep again.

"...but Zoisite isn't?" Obsidian guessed. "It seems he drank too much wine, too."

"Unfortunately."

"But I don't want to wait any longer," Obsidian sulked.

"What about Nephrite?"

"He's awake."

"That doesn't mean anything. Is he ready to go?"

"I think so."

"Well, just wait while I take care of Zoisite." Kunzite teleported into his bedroom. "Zoisite!"

Only some strands of hair could be seen under a heap of pillows. Kunzite sighed. This would take some time. He used all means at hand from gentle caresses up to an ice cold shower when the former didn't convince his lover, and finally Zoisite decided to give in and get up. When he was dressed he still looked miserable and hung his head.

'They're taking _hours_ in there', Obsidian thought frustratedly. He'd been waiting so long that he could have eaten a second breakfast _and_ an early first lunch. It was really about time that he tried to achieve a higher position. It was annoying that Zoisite, who certainly wasn't older than him, had the rank of a King, and he was just Nephrite's pupil.

Finally Kunzite and Zoisite materialized, the one in his blue streaks of energy and the other in his usual swirl of pink cherry blossom petals (although the latter seemed to have a slightly greenish tint to them, just like Zoisite's face).

"It's about time," Obsidian nagged.

"Be quiet!" Zoisite groaned unfriendlily and held his head.

"Why?" Obsidian curved his lips in a malicious smile.

"I have a migraine, and I can assure you that I'm _really_ dangerous when I don't feel well." His glare was positively murderous.

"You drank too much wine and now you have to pay the consequences," Obsidian smirked.

Zoisite lifted his hand and an ice crystal formed immediately.

"Oh, it's as green as you look," Nephrite's student teased.

Without further warning the small man hurled the sharp crystal at him. Fortunately Kunzite knew his lover's temperament, and he knew what he had in mind, so he was prepared to blast the ice crystal before it could hit.

"That was really mean," Obsidian complained.

"Be happy that Kunzite saved you," Zoisite hissed.

"So? Should I?"

"It depends on how much you value your life," the silver-haired King chuckled. He laid a restraining hand on Zoisite's shoulder, for the young man looked as if he wanted to conjure the next ice crystal.

Obsidian shrugged. "I trust my fate," he said.

"Fate is a fickle thing - especially when you cross Zoisite in the morning." Kunzite grinned.

"Please, let me kill him," Zoisite begged and looked up to Kunzite.

"Not yet. We still have a job to do," he declared.

"That's true," Obsidian smirked. He had trusted that the fear of Queen Beryl would keep them from doing him real harm, although he wasn't so sure anymore that it would have stopped Zoisite. The pretty boy really seemed to have as nasty a temper as the rumours suggested, even though he looked so harmless.

They finally went to Nephrite's home.

Much to Obsidian's surprise his mentor was ready to go, and Kunzite opened a new doorway that led them to the byway where they had appeared on their first visit to Paris. This time it was late in the morning, though, and the area looked strangely desolate.

"And what are we going to do now?" Obsidian asked. Nephrite held his head; the pounding within was unbearable.

"We will continue where we left off last evening," Kunzite declared.

"No more wine," Zoisite groaned.

"What about some ice?" Obsidian asked with a grin.

Nephrite tried to avoid abrupt movements of his head. "Your task is to collect energy," he told his pupil, while Zoisite put on a wicked smile and held a foot long ice crystal under Obsidian's nose.

"Zoisite!" he was promptly reprimanded by Kunzite.

"Wanna swap?" Obsidian presented Zoisite an ice crystal that he had made. The other man looked perplexed.

"Huh?"

"My crystal is much more beautiful," Obsidian remarked.

"Pah." Zoisite dissolved his ice dagger and went back to Kunzite. He wasn't allowed to kill this annoying guy anyway. Although, no one had said he couldn't hurt him a bit...

The violet-haired man grinned and looked at the others, and Nephrite shook his head, a gesture he regretted immediately.

"Get back to your task!" he commanded.

While Obsidian looked unappreciative as usual, Zoisite decided to call the violet crystal to him that he had left at home. Maybe a little work would keep his mind off the headache. A pink sphere formed, and the crystal floated above his hand.

As Obsidian still didn't know what to do, he decided to observe Zoisite who was playing with a pretty glowing crystal. When Nephrite became aware of it, he directed the attention of his pupil back to the task at hand. Unfortunately that didn't help as Obsidian still didn't know what to do. Nephrite sighed. Beryl had told him that she saw potential in this one, but he was sure that if there was anything, it was buried beyond retrieval.

Maybe he should have kept Zoisite after all. That young man was definitely promising, even though he was cruel, guileful, vindictive, murderous and had a terrible temper. Anyway, Kunzite had survived him now for several weeks.

Zoisite tried to figure out how to gather energy with the crystal, while he possessively and proudly looked at Kunzite. His beloved always knew what to do and how. He only had to convince him to do the work for him, and everything was just great.

"Now we only need to find a concentration of energy that we can collect," Zoisite remarked and looked hopefully at Kunzite who would certainly know where to start. "What would you propose, Lord Kunzite?" he cajoled and gave him an affectionate look.

Of course the older man couldn't resist.

"Well, the area around here seems to be curiously devoid of energy at this time," Kunzite observed, "even though yesterday it was filled with it."

Obsidian pouted, and Nephrite sighed. Obviously his student would never get the idea. Finally he gave him some hints so that he wouldn't be at a disadvantage when they had to present Queen Beryl with some results. In any case, Kunzite cheated, too.

"What do you expect, this early in the morning?" Nephrite massaged his temples.

"Then we have to go and find another source." Kunzite floated in the air and tried to get a better reading on the energy levels. Zoisite looked admiringly up to him and put on a satisfied smile. He _knew_ it was the best thing to let _him_ do the work.

Obsidian found it unfair that Kunzite helped his student so much. This way it was no wonder that Zoisite was able to fulfill his task more easily. Unfortunately Nephrite wasn't that easy to persuade - well, maybe with some bottles of wine, but then he was only drunk and couldn't help anymore.

Shortly thereafter, Kunzite returned to them. "I discovered a viable source in that direction." He pointed east.

"What are we waiting for?" Obsidian asked. He was frustrated that nothing seemed to work as expected.

"Let them go first, we'll look for another source," Nephrite said. "It's no good for all of us to collect in the same place." He had located another source and teleported there with Obsidian.

Zoisite waited for Kunzite to give him the teleport coordinates, and they jumped simultaneously to a big shopping mall. He was relieved that Nephrite and Obsidian had gone somewhere else, and he smiled blissfully at Kunzite before he took his arm when they had landed on the ground.

Curiously he gazed around. This - whatever it was where they had appeared - was much too interesting to start collecting energy immediately. He wanted to go sight-seeing first.

Of course they managed to draw all attention to them again. It had to be the cape, Zoisite presumed, as he couldn't see anyone else wearing such a piece of clothing. On the other hand, there was Kunzite's hair, too, and the eyes, the slim, but powerful build...

As usual he couldn't rip his gaze from his beloved, and so Kunzite decided that he should do the work for Zoisite. Otherwise they wouldn't collect any energy in a thousand years.

- - -

Nephrite and Obsidian had chosen the Eiffel tower to place their collector crystal. The famous tourist attraction drew quite a lot of people whose energy could be harvested.

As the King still had a terrible headache, he decided to do the work himself as he wanted to return to the Dark Kingdom as fast as possible. If he let Obsidian do it, they wouldn't get the job done in a millennium.

Of course that meant he had to get his student out of his hair, as he didn't want to be disturbed. Headaches and magickal work were bad enough together, but Obsidian's questions and comments would kill him for sure.

Obsidian sulked when he was sent away to the byway where they had agreed to meet again after they had done their work. He decided to spend his time sight-seeing instead of waiting for Nephrite and getting bored to death. Maybe he should try to track down Kunzite and Zoisite and find out what they were up to.

Nephrite had found a small restaurant in the vicinity of the Eiffel tower and waited for the crystal to do its work. Now that Obsidian was gone even his headache got better.

The shopping center was easy to locate, but it was more difficult to find his two colleagues. At least the shop windows were interesting. There were lots of fascinating things to admire, Obsidian discovered.

The silver-haired King and his partner had found a little café and sat there while the crystal hung suspended in the air and collected the shoppers' energy. It didn't need any more attention, and so they had time to look soulfully into each others' eyes and exchange sweet nothings, while they sipped at their coffee.

Finally Obsidian discovered Kunzite and Zoisite. He decided it was more fun to observe them secretly, and so he occupied a place in the vicinity where he could watch them without being seen himself. Now he could also try out the brush he had acquired in a super market. When he peered over at them again, he was really amused. They didn't behave like teacher and student at all.

At last the crystal had done its work. As there were lots of shoppers here and the crystal was rather small, no one of the people felt more than a little tired, while the stone gleamed almost white.

Zoisite called it back and decided that he had to thank Kunzite properly for doing the job for him. He smiled at him and kissed him passionately.

'Interesting', Obsidian thought. So the rumours he had heard about _them_ had been true. He thought it was fun to embarass the loving couple and teleported to them.

When Obsidian materialized, Zoisite and Kunzite parted immediately and looked rather shocked. Zoisite blushed deeply red.

"Oh, hello Obsidian..."

"Hi. What are you doing here?"

"We're collecting energy - what did _you_ think?" Zoisite snapped and presented the crystal.

"I'd rather keep only thinking what I think," Obsidian grinned.

"And what would that be?" Zoisite gave him a nasty glare.

"Well, I've seen what I've seen."

Zoisite flushed again while Kunzite sighed. Sooner or later someone _had_ to find out what was between them, although he would have preferred it not to have been Obsidian. Now Nephrite would know in an instant, and he would tease him from here to the Dark Kingdom and back.

Obsidian examined Zoisite thoughtfully. He wondered what Kunzite saw in this mean pretty boy. _He_ would certainly not let him come that close, for fear of getting an ice crystal in the back or somewhere else.

"We should return now," Kunzite remarked. "Where did you leave Nephrite?"

"He's somewhere around the Eiffel tower. He wanted me to go."

"Still, we had better return to the Dark Kingdom together. We'd better not make Queen Beryl angry."

"That's true." Obsidian nodded.

"So Nephrite collects the energy for you," Zoisite said thoughtfully. "How did you convince him to do it?" He examined Obsidian speculatively. He had always thought that Nephrite preferred women. The other student just shrugged.

"I'm sure Nephrite will need some more time," Zoisite stated. "We could drink another coffee." He gave Kunzite another loving look. Now that Obsidian knew, there was no need to hide his affection anymore.

Obsidian found those glances cute, even though he couldn't stand Zoisite at all. After all, the nasty weasel had tried to kill him only a few hours ago.

"Why don't you sit down," Kunzite wanted to know. "Either go or stay, but if you want to stay you can take a seat. People standing around irritate me."

Obsidian shrugged again before took place on a free seat.

"We are going to wait another hour and then we'll go and check on Nephrite," Kunzite declared.

"Good." Obsidian watched the passers-by while Zoisite and Kunzite watched each other. When Nephrite's pupil started to get bored, he took out his brush and worked on his waist long violet hair.

That got the attention of the other two immediately. 'Nice hair', both thought simultaneously.

"What's up?" Obsidian looked at them suspiciously.

"Oh, I was just admiring your hair," Zoisite stated. That earned him an irritated look from Kunzite.

"You were doing _what_?" He didn't like it at all when his lover paid attention to someone other than him.

"Awww, Kunzite, but I saw you looking at him, too!" Zoisite pouted.

"What is this all about?" Obsidian interjected puzzled.

"Err, nothing," Kunzite replied immediately. He didn't want to argue with Zoisite, so he conjured one of his pink roses and gave it his beloved. He was rewarded by a beatific smile from him.

Obsidian looked from one to the other and shook his head. Roses... This became more and more embarassing, especially when Zoisite put on a silly grin and played with his ponytail while he inhaled the sweet fragrance of the flower.

Finally he was saved when Kunzite said that it was time to go. Together they teleported to the Eiffel tower where Nephrite had just finished collecting energy.

The four men returned to the Dark Kingdom and appeared in Queen Beryl's audience chamber.

"Kunzite, Nephrite - you have returned." Beryl acknowledged them. "Have you been successful?"

"Zoisite has fulfilled his task exemplarily," Kunzite lied without missing a beat.

Of course that meant that Nephrite also had to claim that his pupil had done well, or he would look bad as a teacher. Grumbling, he assured her that Obsidian had also performed well.

"I am pleased," Beryl said. "You may continue tomorrow. - You are dismissed." She waved her hands, and the four men teleported away.

The End of Pt.7

**Disclaimer**: _SailorMoon_ is the property of Takeuchi Naoko, Kodansha and Toei Animation. All characters, settings etc. are used without permission. This is an amateur fiction, and I definitely won't make any money of it.

© by Stayka deyAvemta (zoisite(at)dark-kingdom.de) and Shavana Rhea Dark Kingdom Home at http/www.dark-kingdom.de


	4. Chapter 4: A Crystal Clear Catastrophe

**A Crystal Clear Catastrophe**

**(Tales from the Dark Kingdom - Pt.8)**

**© 1997/10/05 by Stayka deyAvemta & Shavana Rhea**

"I wonder how long she wants to punish us by making us work with Nephrite and that annoying student of his," Zoisite sulked and got up from the breakfast table. They had harvested energy in Paris for about ten days now, and still Queen Beryl wanted more.

"I wonder more why Obsidian hasn't told Nephrite what he has found out about us," Kunzite stood in front of the mirror and brushed his long, silvery white hair. When his beloved went by, he caught him in his arms and held him tight while he buried his face in Zoisite's silky coppery golden mane.

"That's something I don't understand either." Zoisite rested his head against Kunzite's shoulder. "I thought he couldn't stand me and would try to embarass us whenever possible."

"Well, it seems we have a small reprieve before he decides to broadcast the news of our relationship." Kunzite sighed.

"Do we really have to go to Paris again?"

"You don't want to disobey Queen Beryl, do you?"

"Of course not." Zoisite cast down his eyes. As much as he hated the Queen, she was much stronger and could decide who would live and who would die in the Dark Kingdom.

Kunzite attached the long white cape to his grey uniform, before they teleported to the agreed meeting point with Nephrite and Obsidian.

- - -

Nephrite and Obsidian were about as enthusiastic as Kunzite and Zoisite when they thought about their current assignment.

The second of the four Dark Kings was sure that the education of Obsidian was an act of utter futility, as the brain of his pupil wasn't able to grasp even the simplest of his instructions.

This led to the fact that the job of collecting energy fell to him, even when Beryl had given it to Obsidian and Zoisite who were still in training. But it was better to do the work than to return empty-handed. Nephrite knew that he had to find an easier way to collect more energy.

Obsidian was bored as usual. The young man with the waist long violet mane wanted to experience something exciting when he was allowed to leave the Dark Kingdom, and and his idea of 'exciting' didn't include sitting around and waiting for hours until a dumb crystal was filled with energy. He had to make sure that Nephrite kept on doing the work for him.

After breakfast they met with Kunzite and Zoisite.

"Ah, there you are again," Zoisite greeted them inexuberantly.

"Not voluntarily, you bet," Obsidian retorted. Neither Nephrite nor his student was overly fond of Zoisite who already had tried to kill either of them.

"We have duties to perform," Kunzite declared and opened a black energy doorway that led to a desolate byway in Paris, France, in the Earth Realm. He would rather have spent a little more time alone with his beloved, but a command was a command.

"Why do we have to collect all the energy anyway?" Obsidian grumbled.

"Don't question your orders," Nephrite started to shout at his pupil again.

"We have to collect the energy to revive the great ruler of the Dark Kingdom," Kunzite lectured. He wondered why Nephrite hadn't told his student what it was all about, but probably he had been drunk again and forgotten to explain the basics to Obsidian.

"And who is that great ruler? Why can't he collect the energy himself?"

Nephrite sighed. Obsidian asked far too many questions, and whenever he got one answer he wanted to know ten more things. This fact had convinced him that he should not tell Obsidian anything of importance, or he would have to spend all his time explaining things to him.

"The great ruler is the absolute power in the Dark Kingdom," the first of the Kings continued the lecture. "And you should never question the wisdom of our Queen who has set us this task."

Kunzite wondered how his collegue could stand this obnoxious twit. He was absolutely glad that he had Zoisite as a student (and more). The little rat might have a really nasty temper, but at least he was intelligent and cunning - not to mention passionate and tender -, and he didn't drive him mad with stupid questions. He gazed at him affectionately and wished they could have some private time together. It was too bad that they still had a job to do.

Obsidian looked at Kunzite. Why did they all get mad at him when he wanted to know something? He would never learn anything if he wasn't allowed to ask about what he didn't understand.

"Let's go through the doorway," Kunzite commanded. He had better not forget himself and pull Zoisite into his arms, he thought, although he was sorely tempted. He stepped through and appeared in the Earth Realm.

Before they grew roots, Nephrite decided to shove Obsidian through and followed him. Zoisite went last, as he preferred not to have hostile persons at his back.

Obsidian was in a bad mood. He didn't like this assignment at all, he didn't like Nephrite, and he couldn't stand the others either.

After Zoisite had appeared, the doorway collapsed. The pretty young man immediately went to his mentor who gave him a furtive loving glance, then he conjured one of the energy collector crystals. Now that he knew how to do it, it was really easy.

As Nephrite wanted to get back to the Dark Kingdom as fast as possible, he urged Obsidian to the target area. He had just gotten an idea how he could minimize the needed effort.

When he managed to find a person who just reached the peak of his or her energy level, he should be able to harvest more energy in a shorter time than they did currently when they tried to get small amounts from many people over a longer time.

He tried to explain his idea to Obsidian. It took about an hour before he thought he had managed to drive the plan home to him. At least he hoped he had. He asked his pupil to wait for a moment so that he could teleport to his mansion near Tokyo where he wanted to consult the stars.

When Obsidian heard about that star thing, he thought Nephrite was nuts. Stars definitely didn't know anything, contrary to his mentor's stupid superstition.

About half an hour later Nephrite returned and declared he had found a fitting person. He ordered Obsidian to watch her so that he could harvest the energy at the proper time.

- - -

Zoisite and Kunzite returned to their shopping mall. They had found that the energy collecting here was slow but crowned with certain success, and they had the opportunity to spend their time together without being disturbed by Queen Beryl or other inhabitants of the Dark Kingdom.

While the crystal slowly but surely filled with energy, Zoisite had convinced his lover that they could stroll through some of the boutiques. He wanted to try out some nicer clothes than the dull grey uniforms they had to wear in the Dark Kingdom.

Kunzite shook his head when Zoisite tried on one fashionable outfit after the other, especially as he demanded a comment (preferably favourable) on every single one of them.

Two hours and five boutiques later Kunzite felt as if the crystal had drained _him_ of most of his energy. And now Zoisite even had the silly idea of showing him that he looked perfect in women's garments, too. Probably the comments of the waiter in that restaurant the first time in Paris had given him ideas...

When Zoisite walked up and down in front of him in a short turquoise dress, Kunzite had to admit that he actually looked stunning. The pretty young man had taken out the ribbon that tied his hair back, and the coppery golden cascade flowed down his back and flew when he turned around. Furthermore he had really nice legs, Kunzite observed.

He smiled when he became aware of the envious looks some male customers directed at him. He grinned back. Zoisite was his personal property, and anyway, they would certainly be a little surprised when they discovered that his beautiful girl-friend was a _he_.

- - -

Meanwhile Nephrite and Obsidian continued to work on their assignment. The second of the Kings had decided that the time was right to harvest the chosen woman's energy.

He directed Obsidian to place the collector crystal in the vicinity of their victim, and his student did as ordered. Somehow he had a really bad feeling about it, but he thought that Nephrite knew what he was doing.

When the auburn-haired man transferred the victim's energy into the crystal, it began to glow softly at first, then the gleam became stronger, until a crack announced that something was severely wrong. Fractions of a second later the cracking sound was followed by an explosion which hurled Obsidian and Nephrite through the air.

- - -

"No, no and _no_!" Kunzite said, when Zoisite wanted to try on some bathing suits. "Please remember that you are one of the mighty four Kings of the Dark Kingdom, and you really should at least try to maintain some dignity and decorum."

"Awww, Kunzite..." Zoisite looked at him out of shimmering emerald eyes, but for once he had no success. Kunzite took him, threw him over his shoulder and carried him back to the café.

The silver-haired man had a hard time reconciling with his lover who sulked because of the embarassing transport method. He had drawn Zoisite onto his lap, held him close and was kissing him tenderly, when suddenly a loud crack startled them out of their preoccupation.

When they looked up at the source of the sound, they discovered that their collector crystal had shattered.

"How...?" Zoisite put on a puzzled frown.

"I don't know," Kunzite admitted, equally confused.

"Well, we can still conjure a new crystal." The small man concentrated, but to no avail. "It doesn't work!" He looked at his partner for help.

"But you did it before." Kunzite frowned and tried it himself. "You're right. Something has changed in the energy flows around here," he observed.

"But what?"

"I've no idea. We should contact Nephrite and ask him if he has noticed anything weird."

- - -

Cursing, Obsidian tried to disentangle himself from the bush in which he had landed. He hurt and couldn't understand what had happened. Had the crystal overloaded from the sudden burst of energy?

Where was Nephrite? Obsidian looked around to find his instructor. He found him several yards away, lying unconscious on the ground. Oh dear, what should he do now? Thoughtfully he looked down on Nephrite.

If he eliminated him right now, no one would find out that it wasn't the explosion of the crystal that had killed him, he thought. On the other hand, Nephrite knew a lot that he had yet to teach him.

Obsidian shook him, but he didn't move. The violet-haired man sighed. He really should have listened to his feeling that there was something wrong with the crystal.

When he looked down his body, he discovered that the bush had caused him some scratches, but nothing he wouldn't survive. At last Nephrite stirred.

"What happened?" he groaned.

"How am I supposed to know? I heard something go 'Boom!', and everything just burst apart."

"Oh. It seems the crystal couldn't cope with the amount of energy the woman emitted," Nephrite guessed. It seemed he had to work some more on this method to collect energy. Maybe he should try something other than a crystal to store the energy.

Suddenly Kunzite and Zoisite stepped through a doorway. When the youngest of the four Kings discovered that Nephrite lay there, but seemed only to be hurt, he frowned.

"He's still alive," he commented with mild disappointment.

"What happened?" Kunzite asked.

"Boom!" Obsidian imitated and added an expressive gesture.

"What do you mean - 'Boom!'?" Kunzite frowned. "Our collector crystal shattered, and we can't reweave the flows in the proper configuration to conjure a new crystal. What have you _done_?"

"Our crystal exploded," Obsidian told them, and Nephrite finally managed to get up.

"I fear it overloaded," he explained and held his head. This time he had no hangover, but it ached about as badly.

"I knew that your methods were dangerous," Zoisite smirked. He was glad that Beryl had given him Kunzite as his mentor, and he smiled at him possessively.

"I admit, this method was still in the experimental stage," he grumbled and rubbed his aching body parts. The explosion had thrown him rather violently through the air.

Zoisite grinned with malicious joy. He loved to torture Nephrite, or at least to see him in discomfort.

"Would you please describe in detail what you have done?" Kunzite demanded.

"I tried to speed up the process of transferring the energy into the crystal."

"Great idea," Zoisite moaned. "A little bit more patience would have been better."

"Funny that _you_ would say that, Mr.Patience Personified..." Nephrite gave him an angry glare.

Kunzite chuckled at Zoisite's grimace. "Well, whatever happened - it hasn't only destroyed the crystals, it also rearranged the energy flows in the area."

"That's interesting," Nephrite commented. Obsidian had just discovered that at least half of the bush that he had landed on still clung to his hair, and so he directed his attention to this problem.

"I can't say yet how far the damage reached," Kunzite continued, "but I fear Queen Beryl won't be pleased at all."

"I agree," Nephrite nodded uncomfortably.

"But what can we _do_?" Zoisite looked up to Kunzite. His mentor always knew what to do - or so he hoped. The first of the Kings considered the problem.

Nephrite shook his head. "I can't see a way to counteract the results of the explosion."

"I will check the damaged region," Kunzite said and teleported away, while Zoisite uttered some curses that involved Nephrite, his lineage and his state of mind.

"Shut up," Nephrite shouted angrily.

"But _I_ didn't botch big time, Nephrite. I think Queen Beryl with be very interested in this failure of yours." Zoisite laughed gleefully.

"It's easy not to fail when you don't need to do anything yourself."

"What do you want to say, Nephrite?" Zoisite gave him an evil glare.

"Think of it yourself." He returned a deadly look. He definitely couldn't stand that malicious mean little fellow.

Obsidian had been listening to the argument while he plucked leaves and little twigs out of his hair. "And what are we going to do now?" he wanted to know. The fact that Beryl would be furious was a much bigger problem than the stupid bickering between Zoisite and Nephrite.

"We should wait for Kunzite's return," Zoisite suggested.

"What else," Obsidian shook his head.

"What are you implying?"

"It seems there's only one person around who is responsible for the thinking."

"Well," Zoisite admitted, rather proud of his beloved, "Kunzite _is_ the strongest in power and everything..."

"Mostly the latter, hm?" Obsidian said ironically.

Zoisite blushed, but didn't comment on the remark. Nephrite was astonished that Zoisite didn't give one of his usual retorts, while his pupil had put on a smug grin.

Fortunately Kunzite chose to reappear just at this moment. "It doesn't look good at all," he stated. "The energy potentials of the whole continent look more than strange. It seems, you have botched big time, Nephrite."

"I know it by now," Nephrite grumbled, and Zoisite couldn't help but laugh at his miserable facial expression. Of course that earned him another angry glare. "I suggest we avoid this area from now on."

"Yeah. But what do we tell Queen Beryl?"

"I have to think about it," Nephrite replied.

"It should be something believable," Obsidian remarked. If there was someone he didn't want angry at him, it was Queen Beryl.

"Maybe we could invent a powerful enemy," Kunzite pondered.

"It might work," Nephrite agreed.

"We should say we had almost won, but the enemy cheated," Zoisite added. His mood darkened visibly. "I must admit I don't like it at all - I really hate to lose."

"Really?" Obsidian asked curiously.

"Ask the other warriors in the Dark Kingdom." Zoisite put on a vicious grin, and Obsidian made a mental note to do just that.

Kunzite chuckled. As far as he knew, Zoisite had only once admitted a true defeat - and that was when he'd had to take the oath on his life force that he could never attack him again or try to harm him in any way. Everybody else who had achieved a victory learned shortly thereafter that it had been only a _temporary_ victory.

"Well, what do we tell Queen Beryl?" Obsidian pressed.

"Let's see." Kunzite looked thoughtful. "A mysterious powerful entity discovered us while we were collecting energy and attacked us by blowing up our crystals. We tried to fight back, but it retaliated by restructuring the energy flows in its realm which just happened to be Europe. We could barely escape and advise now against further actions in Europe until we have analyzed the danger thoroughly," he suggested.

Zoisite looked at him in utter admiration. "I knew it - you _always_ know what to do," he sighed.

"Okay," Nephrite agreed. "Let's make it so."

Obsidian examined Kunzite with interest and wondered how he had managed to come up with such a story in such short time. The silver-haired King grinned smugly. That meant Nephrite and Obsidian were now in his debt. He was sure he could make good use of that.

Nephrite intended to find a way to gloss over this 'little' failure as fast as possible. He didn't like being at Kunzite's and/or Zoisite's mercy at all. But now he needed to return to the Dark Kingdom; he still ached in every bone.

Promptly Kunzite opened a doorway and made an inviting gesture.

They went back to their quarters first. Nephrite and Obsidian wanted to change into clean uniforms as fast as possible to be in top condition should Queen Beryl call them.

When Kunzite and Zoisite appeared in Kunzite's house, the small man threw himself into his lover's arms. "I'm soooo proud of you," he sighed. Of course it didn't take long before they ended up in their bed again.

- - -

Some time later Queen Beryl called them into the audience chamber. She was annoyed that they hadn't come immediately after their return. Nephrite and Obsidian materialized only seconds after the call. They didn't want to anger her more.

Kunzite and Zoisite arrived a little late as usual, and Beryl promptly gave them a tongue-lashing that made them study the tips of their boots.

Nephrite was satisfied that they were being dressed down, but tried not to show his amusement to overtly.

"Where is the energy I sent you to collect?" Queen Beryl thundered and eyed Nephrite and Obsidian who weren't gazing down yet. Promptly they started to study the ground as well.

"There was a little problem," Nephrite began meekly.

Kunzite peeked at the Queen whose eyes glowed dangerously red, while Nephrite told her the agreed upon story and hoped for a miracle. Of course Beryl exploded after the auburn-haired King had finished, and her outbreak fried the first row of her court to the left.

The four men didn't move as they didn't want to draw any more of the Queen's attention.

"Can you tell me why I am supposed to let you live, you pityful excuses for Dark Kingdom warriors?" she screeched.

Zoisite fumed. He would have loved to tell her whose fault it actually was. Then he certainly wouldn't need to think up new accidents for Nephrite anymore, but unfortunately Kunzite thought it would be better to have something to blackmail the other King, so that he could put him to good use whenever it suited him.

Nephrite stayed silent, as he didn't know an answer that wouldn't lead to his immediate extermination. Obsidian also stifled a pert comment.

"Queen Beryl, we only lost one battle," Kunzite dared to say. "Please let us continue our fight, so that we can win the war for you."

The woman on the throne tapped her fingernails on the armrest. "Well, as currently there don't seem to be any stronger warriors around, I will grant you another chance. But don't fail me again. You know the punishment that awaits you!"

Obsidian hung down his head. She really should try to invent a new line, he thought. He waited for the 'You are dismissed'.

Nephrite was glad that they had gotten off that easily. He definitely didn't want to experience such a dressing down again.

Zoisite looked at Kunzite with sheer hero worship. He would never have dared to address the Queen in her current mood.

"You are dismissed!" Beryl shouted. She was still upset.

Ah, there it was. Obsidian was satisfied with himself. Maybe he should consider a new career as a fortuneteller. That was certainly better than Nephrite's stupid stars that obviously didn't know everything - or they would have warned him about the overload.

The four men teleported back to their quarters.

The End of Pt.8

**Disclaimer**: _SailorMoon_ is the property of Takeuchi Naoko, Kodansha and Toei Animation. All characters, settings etc. are used without permission. This is an amateur fiction, and I definitely won't make any money of it.

© by Stayka deyAvemta (zoisite(at)dark-kingdom.de) and Shavana Rhea Dark Kingdom Home at http/www.dark-kingdom.de


	5. Chapter 5: Cruise Surprise

**Cruise Surprise**

**(Tales from the Dark Kingdom - Pt.9)**

**© 1997/10/12 by Stayka deyAvemta & Shavana Rhea**

"_What_ did you say, Yasha?" Zoisite asked the youma spy he had set on the task to find any rumours about the location of the silver crystal.

"There seems to be a possibility that the silver crystal is in the possession of a rich passenger on the cruise liner _Luxuria_."

"Kunzite! Did you hear? We _have_ to go there and retrieve the silver crystal!"

"Well, maybe Queen Beryl will look more favourably on us again when we succeed in finding the crystal," the silver-haired man pondered. The last assignment in Europe had turned out to become a veritable catastrophe, and it would be wise to find something to appease the Queen. "A cruise liner, you said?"

"Yeah. And it's even a Japanese line! We could masquerade as normal passengers. That way we can look around without drawing too much attention."

"Agreed." Kunzite shook his head when he watched Zoisite who stood in front of the mirror and conjured the most extravagant outfits that he wanted to try out in public for once. The boutiques in Paris had given him some really weird ideas, it seemed.

- - -

Nephrite's spies had reported the same information, and so he decided to check out the ship as well. He urgently needed a big success after the failure in Paris.

Unbeknownst to Kunzite and Zoisite, he also masqueraded as passenger and teleported on the liner. He strolled over the deck and planned to connect the search for the silver crystal with a much needed vacation. The second of the four Dark Kings desperately needed a period of relief from his obnoxious pupil.

- - -

Obsidian was irritated. Neither his teacher nor any of the other Kings of the Dark Kingdom were around. This was strange as - except for Jadeite, who had to check out some stuff in Tokyo - no one had gotten an assignment from Queen Beryl.

He sulked. Nephrite was supposed to teach him to become a powerful warrior, and what happend? He had decided to leave him alone. Certainly he was doing something really exciting while he had to stay here and get bored to death.

With a bit of bribery in the right places he found out that his mentor was on a cruise liner, and much to his surprise he learned that Kunzite and Zoisite were there as well. That was interesting, as especially Zoisite and Nephrite couldn't stand each other at all.

There had to be something going on, Obsidian suspected, and he decided to check what they were doing. As long as Nephrite wasn't here, he had no lessons anyway, and going on a cruise was definitely better than withering from boredom.

He would masquerade as crew member and try to find out what the three Kings were up to.

- - -

Kunzite and Zoisite had found the bar of the liner. As most of the passengers came here sooner or later, they considered it a good observation post.

Kunzite had dressed in an elegant midnight blue suit that set of his silvery white hair and platinum coloured eyes, while Zoisite had decided to wear a sinful short red dress this time. He had liked the admiring stares when he had tried out the dresses in Paris, and as here were only normal humans around, no one from the Dark Kingdom but Kunzite would see him that way.

One great thing about dressing as a woman was that he could wear high heels for once. Zoisite hated being small. It was unfair, even with the four inch heels, Kunzite was still taller than him.

Well, as long as he sat on his lover's lap, it didn't matter anyway, he thought and sipped on a colourful cocktail while he divided his attention not quite equally between the other passengers and Kunzite.

"Until now I haven't sensed anything that would point to the silver crystal," Kunzite remarked and stroked Zoisite's coppery golden hair that flowed openly down to his waist. His beloved looked rather unfamiliar with all the make-up in his face, but he made a really lovely lady. Kunzite only hoped that the lipstick stayed where it belonged.

- - -

Obsidian had managed to slip in as a steward and was performing his duty at the bar, when he discovered Kunzite and Zoisite. He couldn't stifle a grin when he saw Zoisite who currently looked like a girl - well, not that he didn't look effeminate all the time, but the dress and make-up definitely did it...

He tried to watch them inconspicuously while he went around and served drinks and snacks. He was really glad about his telekinetic abilities, or the drinks would have landed everywhere but where they should.

"Well, if we don't discover the silver crystal, we had at least our vacation," Zoisite purred and tousled Kunzite's hair before he kissed him. Oops. Now he knew - the lipstick _did_ lose colour.

"You mess up my hair, little rat," Kunzite complained without being aware of the colour accident.

"I'm only taking revenge for all the times you messed up mine."

Obsidian found them absolutely cute and grinned to himself while he went around and did his work. It was too amusing that they didn't even see him when he stood right next to them to serve the neighbour table. He almost giggled when he noticed that Zoisite's lipstick had found its way on Kunzite's face.

"I'd like to have another drink, dearest," Zoisite smiled lovingly, and Kunzite looked for a steward to order. As Obsidian was nearest to them he came immediately to take their order.

"May I help you?" he asked with a broad grin in his voice.

Zoisite looked up. He knew that voice. "Obsidian!" he squealed and blushed a deep red that matched his dress. He definitely hadn't wanted anyone from the Dark Kingdom to see him like this!

"Oh, Obsidian," Kunzite sighed. Nephrite's pupil had the uncanny ability to appear in the most embarassing moments.

"Well?" He waited for the order.

"What are you doing here?" Zoisite demanded.

"I serve drinks."

"I didn't know the payment in the Dark Kingdom was that bad," Kunzite said dryly and ordered two cocktails.

"Well, I needed to do something else for a change," Obsidian claimed and went to fetch the drinks.

"He saw me in that dress," Zoisite said scandalized.

"You look perfectly beautiful, my little rat. No need to be ashamed." Kunzite kissed him again to console him.

When Obsidian returned with the drinks, he grinned and gave Kunzite a napkin. "This red is definitely not your colour."

Kunzite looked at Zoisite's lips and blushed. "Oh." His lover giggled, took the napkin and tried to remove the lipstick.

"What are you doing here anyway?" Obsidian wanted to know.

"We have important business," Zoisite claimed. "But what are _you_ doing here, except for serving drinks? That reminds me - is Nephrite on the ship as well? I sincerely hope _not_..." He grimaced. Nephrite was the last person whom he wanted to meet in this outfit. It had been for Kunzite only...

"Of course he's here." Obsidian looked at the watch that belonged to his costume. Ah, his shift was just over. He took place next to them.

"Oh no," Zoisite squeaked. "Where exactly? I definitely have to get out of that dress!"

"You will stay right here," Kunzite decreed. "It was _your_ idea that we masquerade as honeymooners, and now you won't back out. What would the people say if my beautiful young wife suddenly turns out to become an equally beautiful young man? I wouldn't want them to think I can't tell a woman from a man..." He grinned wickedly at his lover who immediately started to pout.

"Yeah, we wouldn't want that," Obsidian burst out laughing. "Furthermore it would be a real shame to have those nice legs covered again..."

"Indeed," Kunzite agreed and pulled Zoisite closer to comfort him.

"You two look really cute," Obsidian commented.

Kunzite grimaced. "I don't think it's proper to consider two of the mighty Kings of the Dark Kingdom as _cute_."

"I prefer to say what I think."

"That might get dangerous," Zoisite warned.

"Possibly. But I like danger."

"Obviously." Kunzite remembered the morning when Obsidian had managed to get Zoisite angry enough to attack him with an ice crystal. If he hadn't interfered, Nephrite's pupil would have been history in an instant. Of course, it wasn't difficult to cause Zoisite lose his temper, and normally the people who knew him were rather careful with their comments in his vicinity.

Obsidian grinned at the two men. He found it much more interesting near them than with Nephrite who only tried to find another source for alcoholic drinks whenever possible.

Zoisite glared at the violet-haired man. He wanted to spend some more time with Kunzite _alone_. Maybe he should try out if Obsidian was able to swim. The ocean was at least two miles deep in this location.

"What are you thinking of?" Obsidian asked Zoisite.

"You don't want to know." Zoisite rested his head against Kunzite's shoulder and imagined that it might be fun, too, to drown Obsidian slowly in one of the ship's swimming-pools...

"Of course I want to know. I'm sure it's got something to do with me."

...or he could stick a couple of long ice crystals into various parts of this obnoxious twit... Zoisite sighed dreamily and played with a strand of his lover's hair.

Obsidian was angry that he was ignored so openly. He grumbled something and stood up. Okay, when they absolutely wanted to be alone... He went to his cabin, but not without toppling over the cocktail glasses telekinetically when he was at the door of the mess.

Zoisite stared angrily at the offending liquid. "My dress!" he complained.

"My poor little rat..." Kunzite looked at the stains, and miraculously they disappeared. It was easy to separate conjured weavings and true matter liquid.

"Thanks. - By the way, how are we supposed to find out where the silver crystal is hidden?"

"Well, Beryl said it is a really strong source of energy. The best way should be to home in on a highly concentrated powerful energy source. I've tried that already, but to no avail until now."

Zoisite sighed.

"Would you like to take a walk?" Kunzite suggested. "I could try to check some more people on the upper deck."

"Only if you carry me. I can stand in those shoes, but walking is way too difficult."

"As you wish." Kunzite smiled and lifted Zoisite effortlessly onto his arms. Of course his telekinetic abilities did help, too.

- - -

Nephrite was still looking for the silver crystal. Unfortunately it wasn't easy to find at all, as he was sure it certainly wouldn't lie around openly.

On the other hand it would take hours, days and weeks to search all of the cabins. He had to find a better way. A detector might help, he thought.

He lay down comfortably in a deck chair on the upper deck and enjoyed a glass of expensive wine while he tried to figure out a configuration for his detector.

Well, he had time. As long as the ship was on the sea, the crystal wouldn't escape.

Suddenly he discovered two persons he knew much too well, although the picture that they currently presented was absolutely impossible. Nephrite squinted his eyes. He wouldn't have thought that Kunzite and this sneaky weasel... But he had to admit that Zoisite looked really interesting in the short red dress.

Kunzite put his partner down when he became aware that he had just run into Nephrite. "Err, hi Nephrite - what are _you_ doing here?"

Zoisite tried unsuccessfully to hide behind Kunzite.

"Well, I thought I could spend some nice days on a cruise." Nephrite examined Zoisite - as far as he could see him - from head to the high heeled shoes.

"We also wanted to take a little vacation," Kunzite declared and looked over his shoulder to his lover. "I don't think this is of any use..."

"True. - You seem to have a really good time here."

Zoisite peered out from behind Kunzite's back.

"So that's how you spend your leisure time," Nephrite remarked thoughtfully.

"We have decided to mix with the other passengers," Kunzite stated.

"Ah, that's how you call it." Nephrite found Zoisite's taste in clothing weird, especially those shoes...

"Zoisite wanted to try out some outfits he had discovered in Paris. I couldn't hinder him." Kunzite wondered why his partner hadn't given even one retort.

"Absolutely sweet," Nephrite grinned. "He should wear it instead of his uniform. - Well, I don't want to disturb you with whatever it is you are doing here. Have a lot of fun!" He walked away.

Zoisite sulked. His worst nightmare had come true - Nephrite had seen him in a dress again... "Please, let me kill him," he pleaded and directed his large, deep green eyes at Kunzite.

"There are too many witnesses here, little rat. Although, if you want to lose the silver crystal - if it's actually here - and cut our vacation short, you could of course fry the whole liner..."

"Awww, Kunzite..." Well, it would be an option to blast the whole ship afterwards - if Nephrite was still on board, that is. Otherwise it would be a waste of precious energy.

The silver-haired man decided to spell Zoisite as far away from Nephrite as possible before he forgot reason and blasted the other King just for good measure. They still had to find the silver crystal.

Nephrite had decided to visit the bar. Another glass of wine should help him with the work on the detector. He had to find the silver crystal before Kunzite and Zoisite did. Surely they weren't here only for a vacation.

Obsidian had exchanged the steward's uniform for some inconspicuous civilian clothing as he wanted to spy on the three Kings. He was much too curious what they were up to on the ship.

Silently he observed Kunzite and his pretty plaything from a platform above and thought on possibilites to tease them, for he was still peeved that they had chosen to ignore him.

Kunzite had put down Zoisite in front of the railing and stood behind him, arms wrapped around the slender waist. They faced the open sea, even though Kunzite had spread his senses wide to check the upper deck of the ship for the silver crystal.

"I don't feel any larger energy concentrations up here either."

"That's too bad," Zoisite sighed and leaned back against his lover. "I'd like to stay here a while longer with you."

"Later," Kunzite promised and buried his face in Zoisite's coppery golden hair. "First we should try to make sure that we get the silver crystal before Nephrite."

"Oh-oh..." Zoisite looked down at his shoes.

Obsidian found Zoisite's stumbling around absolutely hilarious. It didn't take long, though, before Kunzite carried his pet on the arms again.

"Next time - no heels," the tall King declared.

"Although I must admit that I love being treated with such care."

"So it seems."

Obsidian followed them in some distance.

- - -

In the meantime Nephrite had produced a detector crystal that hopefully should do the work, but unfortunately he couldn't get any readings on anything that resembled the silver crystal.

He wasn't sure if it was a problem of the range of his detector, or if the crystal just wasn't here. To be sure he would have to search all the decks on foot.

He started from the lowest deck and went up from there. Time was an issue, as he was sure that Kunzite and Zoisite didn't take a vacation only either, whatever they claimed. Still, he found no trace of his objective.

This stupid sensing around shouldn't be the work for someone of his qualifications, he thought, but on the other hand he preferred to do it himself before he had to take along his incapable student.

- - -

Three decks later Zoisite walked barefoot next to his partner. Kunzite had told him he couldn't concentrate when he had to carry him around while Zoisite had nothing better to do but nibble at his ear or tousle his hair. The young man had pouted, but he had complied.

Obsidian continued to play their shadow. He was a bit frustrated that he couldn't hear what they talked about, but he didn't want to get too near, lest he would be discovered. Cautiously he peered around a corner.

Ten more decks...

"Kunzite, do I _have_ to accompany you? My feet are cold, and I'd rather wait for you in our cabin."

"It depends if you can bear to be without me that long." He smiled and kissed his beloved tenderly who practically melted into his arms.

"That'll be truly hard," Zoisite sighed. "But if I caught a cold, it would be worse." Another couple of minutes and kisses later, he returned to the cabin while Kunzite continued the search.

Obsidian waited impatiently until they had gotten over their fit of passion. He decided to follow Kunzite when Zoisite walked away, as the small man certainly only had his own well-being in mind.

Kunzite walked through the decks and missed the company of Zoisite. Somehow he had gotten used to the little rat, he discovered. Only some more decks, and he would return to their cabin, he promised himself, as by now he suspected that there was no silver crystal on board.

Nephrite was also fed up with walking along endless corridors. He had come to the same conclusion as Kunzite - the rumours about the silver crystal on the ship had been wrong.

He sighed and teleported into his cabin. If there was no crystal, he could at least enjoy the cruise.

Obsidian still followed Kunzite, and he was really peeved that the King suddenly disappeared via teleport. Well, he had to go back to his duty anyway, and so he dressed accordingly and went to the mess where the dinner was served.

- - -

When Kunzite materialized in the cabin, he looked stunned at Zoisite who was already dressed for the dinner.

"Zoisite!" Fascinated he walked around him. His lover was clad in a long black dress adorned with feathers and glitter in strategic places that successfully masked his otherwise flat chest, and he had put up his hair in an elegant hairdo. Long black gloves and pumps completed his outfit.

"We have a place at the captain's table, so we have to dress perfectly," he explained.

Kunzite nodded, still absolutely captivated by Zoisite's look. He conjured a white suit for himself, and they went to the mess.

Zoisite had a grand entrance, as most men in the mess stared at him with admiration. Immediately Kunzite put an arm around his waist to show everyone that Zoisite was his.

Obsidian served drinks in the mess. He was glad that he didn't have to serve the food, as this was something he couldn't facilitate with his telekinetic skills.

When he saw Zoisite, he had to admit that the fourth of the Kings looked really beautiful in the elegant robe. If he hadn't known that he was a guy, he would have certainly admired him like the rest of the dinner guests. Obsidian smiled at Kunzite's possessiveness. Apparently he was absolutely infatuated with Zoisite.

Kunzite looked around and discovered Obsidian doing his duty as a steward. Fortunately Nephrite was nowhere to be seen.

The auburn-haired man had decided to take his dinner in the cabin. His feet hurt from all the walking around in the ship. With a good bottle of wine he relaxed and enjoyed the quiet and solitude of his cabin.

The evening was wonderful, Zoisite thought. He relished the admiring looks directed at him and smiled with satisfaction. Finally _he_ had gotten _Kunzite_ jealous for once.

Directly after dessert Kunzite demanded that they retire, as he couldn't stand the suggestive looks that were directed at his partner. Zoisite pouted, but on the other hand he was relieved to get out of the narrow shoes.

When they were gone, Obsidian went as well. The job as a steward was much to straining for his taste, and so he disappeared from the mess and went to his cabin.

- - -

"This feels like heaven," Zoisite declared and wiggled his toes. To console him for the rather short evening, Kunzite was massaging Zoisite's feet, while the young man pulled the needles out of his hair.

"And now you will remove all the paint from your face and that sticky stuff out of your hair!" Kunzite demanded.

With a smile, Zoisite stepped out of the dress and went into the shower. Somehow he liked it when Kunzite was so determined, even though he reacted rather allergically to commands from other persons.

"What's up tomorrow?" he asked about ten minutes later when he returned, a beige towel wrapped around his waist, another around his head.

"I will try once more to locate the silver crystal. We can't risk that it falls into Nephrite's hands."

"_If_ it is on board."

"That's right. - But I don't want to think about this anymore tonight." He smiled at Zoisite. "I'd rather unwrap an interesting package standing right in front of me..."

- - -

Obsidian was bored as usual and strolled through the ship. He was dressed in normal clothing now and thought that he should have better chosen to disguise as a passenger, too. The job as steward was as bad as his tasks as a pupil of Nephrite's.

It was night, and the corridors and decks were almost empty. For want of other ideas he went to the swimming-pool on the upper deck that was deserted as well and jumped into the water.

Suddenly an idea popped up in his mind, and he left the pool. Then he bought two wonderful bouquets in the bord shop, one of orchids and one of lilies, which he put into boxes that he addressed at Kunzite and Zoisite respectively.

When everything was prepared, he set down the packages in front of their door, although he didn't really expect them to notice the flowers anyway. If they did, though, it might be amusing.

In any case, he should start to think about other practical jokes he could play. As the humans on the ship didn't interest him at all, he decided to try figuring out a means that might help him to observe the three Kings unconspicuously. So he produced a crystal that should help him to watch them without him needing to get too near. It certainly would be more fun than having to run after them all the time.

He went back to the upper deck and exercised producing crystals.

- - -

The night had gone by much too fast, Zoisite regretted and rubbed his cheek playfully against Kunzite's chest. He yawned. Well, when they wanted the silver crystal, they should get up now.

Gently he stroked his beloved who was still asleep. Kunzite had done almost all the magickal work yesterday, and so he was entitled to be a littled tired. He kissed him.

"Wake up, Kunzite," he urged. "You wanted to find the silver crystal, remember?"

The silver-haired man turned around and grunted something.

It took almost half an hour of cajoling and caressing until Zoisite could convince him to get up and take a shower together with him, before they finally dressed and styled themselves.

When they left the room, they had eyes for each other only, and so they didn't notice the boxes on the floor at all. Hand in hand they went to the mess and took a long breakfast.

Afterwards Kunzite wanted to check the remaining decks, and then they could finally enjoy their vacation.

As Obsidian had gotten hungry from his magickal exercises, he decided to attack the buffet, too, before he returned to his conjuring.

"Hi Obsidian - quit the job?" Today Zoisite wore a turquoise cocktail dress, likewise coloured pumps and batted his long lashes under greenish blue eyelids at him.

"I have better things to do," Obsidian replied and heaped food on his plate.

"I can see that." Zoisite only took some choice bits, when he felt Kunzite step behind him. The silver-haired man wanted to take special care that no one got too near his lover.

"Good morning, Obsidian," he said.

"Good morning," Nephrite's pupil replied in good spirits.

"It seems you have joined the ranks of the passengers now?" Kunzite remarked.

"Yeah. The food is much better," Obsidian grinned.

"Probably." Kunzite filled his plate and returned to the table, Zoisite trailing along.

As they still had nothing better to do but looking longingly at each other, Obsidian grew bored rather fast. He decided to clean his plate in record time and went to his cabin to work on the locator crystal again.

"There's only a couple of decks I have still to check," Kunzite said when they had left the table, too.

"Would you like me to accompany you, or am I too much of a diversion again?"

"You're always a diversion, no matter if you're with me or not." Kunzite pulled Zoisite close and buried the face in his silky gold-copper hair.

"Then I'm content," the young man smiled. "Let's go."

It took two hours until they had finished the search without success. Obviously the information had been wrong; the silver crystal was definitely not here. Kunzite shook his head.

"Let's go to the sun deck. I'd like to work on my tan," he declared.

- - -

Nephrite had given up the search as well. He wanted to enjoy a vacation from the Dark Kingdom and flirted with the prettiest girls on board.

Who knew when he would have time for such little games again. He paddled through the pool and relished the admiring looks he got.

The Dark Kingdom would be dark and gloomy as usual, and probably he wouldn't get the chance to return to the Earth Realm too soon as long as he had no major success to prove himself.

It didn't take long, until Zoisite and Kunzite appeared and disturbed his peaceful relaxation. The tall man only wore dark blue swimming-trunks and had a large white bath-towel slung over the shoulder.

Zoisite clung to his arm and almost devoured him with his eyes. He was clad in a large white T-Shirt with a narrow red belt and sulked that he couldn't get rid of the bulky garment, but donning a swimsuit would give him away immediately.

Kunzite decided to lay out his towel next to the swimming pool and stretched out on it.

"Hey," he protested when Zoisite had made himself comfortable half next to him and half on him. "I said I wanted to work on my tan - but how can I do this when you act as a sunshade?"

"Awwww, Kunzite," Zoisite pouted and got up. This time he positioned himself next to him, so that his lover could enjoy the sun's rays to the fullest. Zoisite looked down at the slim but perfectly built body and sighed dreamily, while he gently stroked Kunzite's throat and chest.

Obsidian appeared at the pool shortly after. He had finally completed the crystal that should be able to locate the Kings, and he wanted to try it out. He leaned at the railing and observed them, while he tried to modify the crystal, so that it could home in on the Kings with more precision.

Zoisite sighed. Kunzite had fallen asleep, and he looked absolutely ravishing. As he couldn't keep his fingers from him, he smiled and started to braid his hair in thin plaits.

Twenty minutes later, Zoisite kissed him lightly on the lips. "Your front is well done."

Kunzite opened his eyes and was a little shocked that he had actually fallen asleep when there was his rival Nephrite around. That was really careless, he had to admit, but fortunately Zoisite had watched over him. He gave him a loving smile and turned around. He was sure that Zoisite would never allow anyone to harm him.

Zoisite giggled, before he tenderly stroked Kunzite's back until he fell contentedly asleep again. Now he could work small braids in the rest of his hair.

Obsidian observed Zoisite's action with fascination. He couldn't understand how the normally so temperamental man could summon up so much patience. He went closer to them and checked the reactions of his crystal.

Finally, it was done, and Kunzite sported about two dozen neat silvery white plaits. Zoisite grinned wickedly and kissed him on the neck. He continued to sleep.

"Nice work," Obsidian commented when he appeared next to Zoisite. The smaller man immediately prepared to conjure an ice crystal, just to be sure, should Obsidian dare to try something.

"My opinion as well." Zoisite tickled his lover, and he woke up. "Now your other side is done, too."

"You look weird," Obsidian commented.

"What?" Kunzite yawned.

"Your hairdo."

"What's wrong with my hair?" Kunzite sat up, touched his hair and discovered the braids.

"Zoisite!"

"Yes, Lord Kunzite?" He batted his lashes at him.

Obsidian grinned when he saw the horrified look on Kunzite's face. The numerous little plaits looked ridiculous on him.

"Take them out. Now!" he demanded.

"Awwww, Kunzite..." Zoisite gave him a totally innocent smile, sat down on his lap and started to loosen the braids.

"You two are always worth a visit."

"Maybe we should ask for a fee," Kunzite said wryly.

"Oh, I think I would even pay for it."

Zoisite gave him a dark look, while Obsidian only grinned. "I think the braids would have befitted _you_ much better."

Before Zoisite could launch himself at the violet-haired man, Kunzite caught his wrist. "Is my hair back to normal?"

"Not yet... Turn around." Zoisite took out the last braids and conjured a brush to work on the thick mane.

While they were occupied, Obsidian tuned his crystal again. He wasn't satisfied with its performance yet.

Nephrite hat watched the little games of his most dangerous rivals with amusement. He still sat on the other side of the pool and wondered about their intentions. Could it really be that they only wanted to make a vacation? Somehow he couldn't believe it, but that sickening love-in suggested otherwise.

Obsidian wondered why Kunzite still had such a thick shock of hair when Zoisite seemed to mishandle it all the time. He always managed to pull out quite some strands while brushing his. Now they were back to devoted looks, he observed. Didn't they ever get enough of each other?

"What about some cocktails?" Zoisite asked.

"Obsidian, why don't you fetch some?" Kunzite suggested.

"I'm not your servant."

"I am the first among the Kings of the Dark Kingdom, and you as a lowly student have to obey," Kunzite declared in a huff.

"You are definetely off-duty now, so I don't take orders from you."

"Nephrite did something really wrong in your education," Kunzite remarked with a frown.

"Education? When? He prefers to drink wine or stronger stuff."

"Kunzite - maybe we could spank him?" With his fingertips Zoisite drew some figures on Kunzite's chest and gave him a light kiss on the lips.

"Can you bear to leave your favourite pastime for long enough?"

"He has a point," Kunzite said thoughtfully, while Zoisite sighed.

"I'm not allowed to kill him, and now I can't even spank him. You spoil all the fun!" When Kunzite just nodded with a slight smile, Zoisite curled up in his arms.

"I think you'll have enough fun without having to resort to spank me." Obsidian grinned at Zoisite.

"But I need my evil deeds once in a while," the small man sulked.

"I think you should refrain from doing them to me."

"Why?" Zoisite pouted. "Kunzite is off-limits..."

"I noticed, but aren't there other people for you to harass? I'm no challenge anyway."

"That's no problem for me. I like an easy target once in a while." Zoisite put on an evil grin.

"I see. Small victims for small people." Obsidian taunted.

"Pah! I take on _everything_!" Zoisite hissed. "And I'll get it - sooner or later!"

"I only hope it's later," Obsidian smirked.

"Calm down, my little rat," Kunzite put a restraining arm around Zoisite's waist and caressed the nape of his neck. Immediately Zoisite's facial expression changed from anger to pure delight.

Obsidian found those mood swings amazing. Fortunately Kunzite was able to calm down his little lover with only some words and a caress, or he wouldn't spend even one minute in Zoisite's company and even less dare to tease him.

"You _should_ consider fetching us our drinks, Obsidian," Kunzite said in a dangerously quiet tone. Deep in his eyes a blue glow of energy sparkled, and Obsidian decided it was wiser to comply.

"Okay. But only because I have nothing else to do." Obsidian went to the bar and came back with two filled glasses. When he returned, he saw that this time Zoisite enjoyed the tender ministrations of his partner. It was easy to forget what amount of destructive power they shared among themselves, when one saw them acting like smitten teens most of the time.

He gave them their cocktails, sat down next to them and played with his crystal, when suddenly the water started to churn and swirl around, and the ship rocked forth and back.

"What's going on here?" Obsidian asked surprised and searched the surroundings.

"I feel an enormous energy concentration nearby," Kunzite said with a frown and got up from his towel. Zoisite did the same and staggered as the ground moved heavily.

When the ship started to move, Nephrite climbed out of the pool immediately. He scanned the area and could also sense the dark energies.

Zoisite squinted his eyes and tried to discover the source of the uproar. "Could it be an attack against us?" he asked.

"Maybe - I wonder if Jadeite has pulled his courage together for once and tries to eliminate us, or if it's someone else."

"Maybe Queen Beryl found out that we had fun here and wants to punish us now?"

Obsidian looked at them askance. He had not much experience with things like that, but he couldn't believe that Queen Beryl was involved. It wasn't her style.

"I don't think it's Queen Beryl, little rat," Kunzite remarked. "Actually, I don't think it's Jadeite either. It's neither her nor his style."

"Then who _is_ responsible for shaking the ship?" Obsidian wanted to know.

"Well..." Kunzite looked at the center of the vortex where the figure of a youma solidified. "It seems Queen Beryl's favourite youma has designs of her own."

"Hm," Obsidian made when he reconized her as well. "Tetis often does things no one else is supposed to know about. I think I'll disappear from here as fast as possible."

"That would be wise," Kunzite nodded. "You are not supposed to be here, aren't you?"

"Of course not. Especially Tetis shouldn't see me at any cost."

"I think I don't want her to see me either," Zoisite said and looked down his big T-shirt.

"Then let's scram!" Obsidian suggested.

"Before we do that we should see to it that she doesn't get what she wants," Kunzite said and waved his hand. A doorway appeared. "Go home, you two, I'll take care of the ship."

"Okay," Obsidian agreed and stepped through, followed by Zoisite. Nephrite had gone home as soon as he had become aware of the youma. Tetis would report everything she saw to Beryl, and he didn't want to get spotted on a vacation.

When the others were back in the Dark Kingdom, Kunzite waved his hand again, and suddenly an iceberg appeared directly in front of the cruiser. The waves caused by Tetis threw the ship against the obstacle, and it began to sink.

Tetis was furious when she saw that her prize slowly but surely disappeared below the waves. Some life-boats floated in the agitated sea and Tetis lashed at them in blind fury. Kunzite hovered far above and grinned smugly when the youma at last teleported away in frustration.

Finally he opened a new doorway and went after Zoisite, wondering what Tetis had intended to do with the cruise ship.

The End of Pt.9

**Disclaimer**: _SailorMoon_ is the property of Takeuchi Naoko, Kodansha and Toei Animation. All characters, settings etc. are used without permission. This is an amateur fiction, and I definitely won't make any money of it.

© by Stayka deyAvemta (zoisite(at)dark-kingdom.de) and Shavana Rhea 


	6. Chapter 6: The Stars Know Everything

**The Stars Know Everything**

**(Tales from the Dark Kingdom - Pt.10)**

**© 1997/10/13 by Stayka deyAvemta & Shavana Rhea**

"The stars know everything," Nephrite explained patiently. His young student Obsidian made a face. He considered this star stuff utter bullshit.

Nephrite had given him a task to solve, and he just didn't know how to find the solution - and when he asked his teacher for some hints, he just said that he should consult 'the stars'.

Even _if_ the stars knew everything, Obsidian didn't know how to ask them. It was grossly unfair, he sulked.

Nephrite examined his pupil with disgust. He would never manage to get anything into Obsidian's brain, he feared. The violet-haired man seemed to be too stupid to understand even the simplest things.

The second of the Dark Kings asked himself for at least the hundredth time why Queen Beryl had insisted that he should teach Obsidian. At least he wasn't as murderous as Zoisite.

The student lowered his gaze when Nephrite shouted at him again. It wasn't _his_ fault that he just didn't know what the auburn-haired man wanted from him. Nephrite gave him all the wrong assignments. He was about to reply something when his instructor continued to bark at him.

"No discussions! You will work at understanding the stars and their wisdom. It will help you comprehend the relations within the universe, and then you'll have no problems anymore to solve your tasks."

Obsidian looked at him unappreciatively.

"Now go - and don't you dare to return without the solution!" Nephrite teleported into his mansion before Obsidian could come up with further questions. He desperately needed a couple of drinks.

Thoughtfully, Obsidian looked at the place where his teacher had stood. How was he supposed to understand the stars? Stars didn't talk - they were only some astral objects. And now Nephrite left him alone without further explanations. It was really mean.

Obsidian pouted. Where should he begin?

- - -

"Do we _really_ have to go there?" Zoisite grimaced.

"Yes. Queen Beryl ordered us to go there, and so we will obey," Kunzite explained calmly. He wondered why Zoisite was able to question the commands of their Queen anyway. _He_ would never dare to disobey her as she was his ruler, and her orders had to be followed without hesitation. "We will teleport to this place called 'Hollywood' and set up some youma with crystals to collect energy."

"As you wish, Lord Kunzite," Zoisite sulked.

"You will devise a plan and set it in motion while I will monitor your progress."

The young man sighed. In other words that meant _he_ had to work while Kunzite had all the fun. Why only couldn't he take over Kunzite's position as the first among the Kings? It was soooo unfair. But first he had to think about a design.

- - -

Obsidian still pondered sullenly what he was supposed to do. Stars! Pah, how could he ask stars?

Well, if Nephrite insisted that he asked stars, then he would ask stars. As there were none in the Dark Kingdom, he had to go elsewhere - and where were the most stars?

Suddenly Obsidian grinned when he had a flash of inspiration where he could go, and he set out on the way to Hollywood - more precisely to the Walk of Fame. There were plenty of stars he could ask.

He had changed from his uniform into black trousers, T-shirt and a dark leather jacket. His waist long dark violet mane was caught in a ponytail. In high spirits, he walked over the stars and tried out several hand and foot prints.

Exuberantly, he consulted the stars - that is, he tried to read the inscriptions on the plates. Unfortunately it wasn't Japanese, though, and he couldn't make sense of anything. Well, it wasn't worse as when he gazed up to the sky, for those stars told him even less.

- - -

"You seem to like those outfits." Kunzite shook his head.

"_You_ said that I should devise a plan," Zoisite replied. He had decided to disguise as an average Hollywood starlet in his favourite sinful red dress. "We will walk into a studio and position a youma with an energy collector in one of these game shows. There should be plenty of energy to harvest."

Zoisite flaunted directly into one of the studios. The guy who wanted to stop him was blasted by an attack of cherry blossom petal flavoured energy.

Kunzite followed him closely. He had kept his uniform on as he was rather fond of the long, flowing, white cape. Surprisingly he didn't receive too much attention this time. Only one studio worker told him that 'the science fiction movie was produced in studio 16', but as he didn't understand English, he only shrugged and stayed close to Zoisite.

The studio they entered was currently deserted.

"Here we can position one youma so that she can collect the energy as soon as the show starts," Zoisite said.

"It's your task, little rat." Kunzite grinned while he studied his lover's backside in the tight red dress.

Zoisite called one of his youma and commanded her to wait until the show was produced and then harvest as much energy as possible in the storing crystals he gave her. Now they could use the spare time more usefully, he thought.

"Kunzite, I'd love to get some energy as well. Let's go to a restaurant." Zoisite suggested.

"Agreed."

Immediately Zoisite clung to the tall man's arm and dragged him to the next restaurant.

- - -

Obsidian walked through the town. As long as Nephrite wasn't around, he would enjoy the sight-seeing tour. Unfortunately he couldn't read the English signs, but he continued his exploration anyway. He teleported onto the roof of a house to get a better overview.

It didn't take long before boredom set in again. Only watching was tiring, and he pondered what he could do. When he thought about it, he was starving, he discovered, and so he looked for a restaurant

He walked into the first establishment and ordered via the Parisian method - he pointed on some lines on the menu. Money was no problem either, as he stole a purse telekinetically, just as Nephrite and Kunzite had done so effectively in Paris.

- - -

"Oh, no!" Zoisite gasped when he entered the restaurant and saw Obsidian. "It's him again!"

"Obviously." Kunzite shook his head. "Hello Obsidian."

"Hi," he replied amused. "Are you on a vacation again?" Zoisite looked really alluring in this little dress.

"No. We're on an assignment," Zoisite sulked.

"Well, the question is - what kind of assignment?" Obsidian grinned and examined the petite figure from the head to his toes.

"I'm here to collect energy on Queen Beryl's orders," the copper-gold haired man said in a huff.

"Are you?"

"Yeah! And what are _you_ doing here?" Kunzite demanded sternly. "Do you also have a task to perform?"

"Of course. Nephrite sent me to complete an exercise."

"And what kind of exercise would that be?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"Because I have a right to know." Kunzite looked at him darkly from his icy silvery grey eyes.

"Why? You aren't my teacher."

"I'm the first of the Kings, and I'm entitled to know everything that goes on. Talk. Now." Kunzite's eyes started to glow a dangerous white-blue.

Obsidian pouted. "You don't have to know everything." He couldn't stand to be interrogated.

Kunzite decided to freeze him a little bit for his insolence. Thick layers of ice formed on Obsidian's chair and the young man as well.

"That's mean," he protested and thawed the ice.

"What are you doing here?" Kunzite asked again with deadly calm. "I will not allow you or Nephrite to disturb our assignment."

"I'm looking for a star," Obsidian grumbled and gave the silver-haired King an angry glare.

"A star?" Zoisite echoed incredulously.

"That's what I said." Obsidian folded his arms. That was all he would say, he decided.

"And _what_ star are you looking for?" Zoisite went on.

"That concerns only me."

"Not quite. If it affects the Dark Kingdom, I am entitled to know," Kunzite declared.

"You harvest energy, how can I get in your way?"

"If you disturb our carefully layed out designs..." Zoisite said.

"I don't even use magick, so I won't disturb you," Obsidian said.

"No magick? Then what _are_ you doing?"

"I told you - I'm looking for a star."

"And it was Nephrite who told you to do that?" Zoisite couldn't understand it.

"Yes."

"I think he's a bit weird," Kunzite remarked.

"It's not my place to question the tasks he gives me," Obsidian shrugged.

"That's true." Kunzite smiled and gave his student an amused look. "You should remember that, too, little rat."

As the food was brought, Obsidian started to attack his meal and ignored the two Kings. The food wasn't overly tasty, but it was good enough for now, and so he devoured it.

When Zoisite saw the meal, he ordered the usual way as well (that is by pointing at the menu). Kunzite had pulled out a small dictionary and tried to decode the foreign symbols first.

Zoisite had gotten his meal, and by then Kunzite had translated three lines of the menu. He chose the second which sounded pretty edible. If he translated more of the stuff, he would starve. With some difficulty he ordered by dictionary and considered learning another language than Japanese when they were supposed to collect energy abroad.

Obsidian had finished his meal and watched the two Kings. He found Kunzite's efforts amusing, but maybe the older man had a point. Japanese didn't seem to be too widely distributed in the Earth Realm.

As Zoisite had nothing else to do but stare at Kunzite while eating his meal, Obsidian grew bored as usual and decided to pay and look for a more interesting place.

"I'm going to look for the stars now," Obsidian said to them.

"Just look at the night sky," Zoisite suggested. "I'm sure Nephrite told you that the stars know everything."

Obsidian glared angrily at him. "I know that!" Actually, he couldn't hear it anymore.

Zoisite laughed his best annoying laugh when he saw Obsidian's grimace. It was almost as much fun to annoy him as it was to terrorize Nephrite himself.

Obsidian shook his head and observed Zoisite. The small man looked really cute when he laughed, he found. Kunzite watched the interchange until he got his meal, too. To his relief, it even was the stuff he had intended to order.

"Now I really have to go." Obsidian stood up and left the restaurant.

"I wonder if he told us the truth about that star thing," Zoisite remarked.

"If he didn't, I'll make him pay for it," Kunzite threatened.

Shortly after they had left the restaurant as well and followed Obsidian to find out what he was _really_ up to.

The violet-haired man went back to the Walk of Fame and jumped merrily over the stars while he pondered what to do.

Kunzite and Zoisite hid around a corner and watched the display incredulously.

"Has he gone mad?" Zoisite wondered.

"Well, he _is_ Nephrite's student."

Now Obsidian had found a souvenir shop and looked at the merchandise. Finally he found a key-ring with a star tag. When Nephrite asked him, if he had been successful, he would present him this 'star'.

Zoisite followed Obsidian into the shop. 'He bought a star key-ring!' he thought and couldn't believe it. 'He is as weird as Nephrite.'

As there was nothing more of interest in the shop, Obsidian left and looked for a quiet corner to teleport to the next interesting target, a shopping mall.

Kunzite and Zoisite followed him stealthily and watched him as he bought heaps and heaps of ...stuff. By now he carried around several bags and looked rather satisfied.

"So he doesn't have an assignment after all," Kunzite remarked. "I should have known."

"Then let's catch him and punish him a bit," Zoisite said with a wicked gleam in his emerald eyes.

Obsidian teleported onto a roof, put down his bags and looked at the streets. Then he took the locator crystal he had worked on for quite a while now and tried to home in on Kunzite and Zoisite.

Kunzite concentrated and checked the energy distribution in the area to locate Nephrite's pupil. "He's on the roof of a tall building," he discovered.

"What is he doing there?"

"How am I supposed to know?"

"Oh, Kunzite, you always know everything, don't you?"

"I wish I would, little rat," he sighed.

Obsidian found out that the two Kings were still in his vicinity. Coincidence? He supposed so. Why should two of the 'mighty Kings' of the Dark Kingdom follow him. They certainly had better things to do.

"I fear we can't follow him up there - he would see us immediately," Kunzite said.

"And what do you suggest?"

"We wait for his next move. And in the meantime..." Kunzite pulled Zoisite into his arms and kissed him tenderly while he kept his psychic senses on Obsidian.

They didn't move, Obsidian observed via his crystal, and furthermore they seemed to stand really close together. Probably they were occupied with one of their favourite pastimes again, he thought and shook his head, before he collected his bags and teleported to another place nearby.

When he sensed the energy wave of a teleport, Kunzite regretfully parted from Zoisite. "He's jumped again. Now he's in the vicinity of the studios."

"He'll sabotage our project," Zoisite suspected alarmed. "We have to stop him!"

They teleported after Obsidian, but took care to stay out of sight. Nephrite's pupil strolled through the area and looked curiously around. It was fascinating to see how shows and movies were produced.

"I'll kill him when he sabotages my design!" Zoisite had already conjured an ice crystal and held it ready.

"Don't, little rat." Kunzite put a restraining hand on his shoulder, and Zoisite obeyed and dissolved the crystal.

Obsidian stumbled into the production of a daily soap. It was horrible and really should be destroyed, he found. He blew up the camera and smiled when the technicians ran to the affected device immediately.

Zoisite stalked after him, closely followed by Kunzite.

"See? He started his sabotage. I _have_ to finish him off before he gets to the studio I have prepared." Zoisite conjured another crystal.

When Obsidian ran out of the room and looked for the next interesting place, Zoisite was behind him, ice crystal in the hand. Only seconds before he was hit, Obsidian noticed the small man and teleported a couple of steps away.

Just in this moment the door to a studio was opened, and Zoisite, who couldn't cut his momentum fast enough, shot into a talk show where the guests discussed dangerous girl-friends. The talk master was sure that Zoisite was a gag from the director and seated him in front of the cameras.

Unfortunately he didn't understand one word, and he looked pretty nonplussed. Kunzite, who had watched the action, slapped a hand to his forehead. Obsidian, who hid behind the studio decoration, almost burst from suppressed laughter. To get a better overview, he floated up to one of the catwalks below the ceiling.

Finally Zoisite jumped up and ran out of the studio as fast as he had gotten in. It was the shortest appearance of a talk guest in the history of this show. He returned to Kunzite full speed and threw himself into his lover's arms. He desperately needed to be comforted.

Kunzite stroked the coppery golden hair and tried to calm down the young man, otherwise he wouldn't be of much use in the next time. Zoisite wrapped his arms around his partner's waist and rested his head against his shoulder. One tear rolled down his cheek.

"There, there, little one..." Kunzite held him close.

"They laughed at me," Zoisite sniffed. "Let's collect their energy as well. I want them sucked dry!"

Obsidian grinned. It was fun how Zoisite had made a fool of himself. On the other hand, he was peeved that the sneaky weasel continuosly tried to assassinate him. He found it tedious to watch his back all the time.

The silver-haired King called another youma from the Dark Kingdom and sent her to invade the talk show. It would be another rich harvest, he hoped. He conjured a couple of collector crystals and handed them to the youma who turned into another talk guest and walked into the studio.

Zoisite lifted his head and looked affectionately at Kunzite who couldn't resist and kissed him again.

Obsidian was astonished when he saw the youma. It seemed Kunzite and Zoisite really worked on an energy collecting assignment, even when they took their time with their favourite pastimes as well.

Some time later Zoisite peered into the studio and grinned smugly. The annoying people in there were slumped together in their seats as their energy was transferred into the youma's crystals. That served them right, and Queen Beryl would be satisfied.

Obsidian floated down from the catwalk and searched the unconscious humans for interesting things, while Kunzite and Zoisite checked the other studio that they had prepared before. Some technicians had poured into it and set up lighting and cameras.

They stalked into the studio and hid high up in the supports of the lighting system where they sat in close embrace and waited for the show to start and the youma to work.

When he had put the most interesting things into another bag, Obsidian located Kunzite and his little pet again. They were in another studio now. Didn't they have enough energy by now? Obviously they wanted to impress Queen Beryl, he surmised and teleported to them. They were in a tight clinch again, he observed and shook his head.

"What are you still doing here?" he asked with interest. Now more people streamed into the room.

"We do our job," Zoisite replied when he finally ripped his eyes from Kunzite. "Contrary to you, it seems."

"I've already finished my task."

"So you found your star?"

"Yep! I have it in my bag."

"Pardon?" Kunzite lifted an eyebrow. For safety reasons he formed an energy bubble around them that made it impossible for the humans to see or hear them.

"Well, I'm not quite sure what I'm supposed to do with it. Nephrite only told me 'to work at understanding the stars and their wisdom'."

Suddenly Zoisite started to laugh. Why hadn't he come up with such a wonderful idea when he was still Nephrite's student? "Oh, I _must_ watch when you show Nephrite your results," he giggled.

"So?" Obsidian hadn't forgotten that Zoisite had tried to kill him at least twice till now. He didn't deserve to witness the fun. "Nephrite is _my_ teacher, and it's my privilege to tease him and watch the results."

"But not too long ago he was my teacher as well, so I'd say I'm still entitled to see it when a practical joke is played on him."

"By the way," Kunzite looked at his lover, "Why did Queen Beryl make you my student when you were already apprenticed to Nephrite?"

"Oh, I think it was because I wanted a better looking mentor who could teach me in a wider variety of subjects..." Zoisite nibbled playfully at Kunzite's ear.

Obsidian gazed thoughtfully at Zoisite. He really wanted to know how the other man had managed to lay off his former teacher as he also wanted to get rid of Nephrite.

"Don't you dare try to convince Beryl to give you Kunzite as teacher, too," Zoisite warned. "You'd be toast faster than you think."

"Don't worry, I don't think, I would like that anyway."

"Good." Zoisited wrapped his arms possessively around Kunzite. "He's all mine!"

"Obviously... But I certainly don't want him at any rate."

"Then you have less to fear from me."

"I don't fear anything," Obsidian declared.

"That _might_ be unwise." Zoisite smiled at him maliciously.

"If you say so. But I don't think anyone is going to harm me." Obsidian grinned smugly. Queen Beryl would see to that.

"Well," Kunzite said. "Zoisite even tried to kill _me_ once. Although afterwards he changed his intentions slightly..."

"It seems sometimes he acts faster than he thinks."

"That's true." Kunzite smiled affectionately and gave his sulking lover a gentle kiss.

"Well, that's why I don't take him too seriously."

"You should better take me very seriously," Zoisite fumed.

"Sorry, that's not possible." Obsidian grinned. "I just can't take a King seriously who runs around in nice little dresses and high heeled shoes, not to mention all the paint in your face."

Zoisite almost exploded and turned into his normal seeming with uniform and boots. "Better, you obnoxious twit?"

"Oh, yes," he said.

Kunzite sighed and looked at Zoisite's uniform trousers. "Although it's a shame when those nice legs are covered."

"They are too much of a diversion for certain persons," Obsidian remarked.

"You should rather hold your tongue in the presence of your betters," Kunzite said flatly.

"Only if I really have to."

"You _have_ to," the first of the Kings said with dangerous calm.

"Okay," Obsidian sulked, "but only because I don't have a chance against you."

"That's the point." Kunzite smirked.

Obsidian fell silent. He was determined to change the fact, but how could he become more powerful when Nephrite didn't teach him properly? This star mumbo-jumbo didn't help him at all.

Kunzite put an arm around Zoisite's shoulders. Once more he was glad that he had him as a student and not Obsidian. The latter was much too disobedient and incapable.

"I'll go now," Obsidian announced. He teleported to the Dark Kingdom without waiting for an answer. He had to show Nephrite the wisdom of his 'star'.

"Kunzite, let's go, too."

"We have to collect the youma first."

They called the youma back and returned to the Dark Kingdom as well, where Queen Beryl was satisfied for once when she was given the energy.

- - -

Obsidian materialized in front of the door to Nephrite's quarters and rang.

The second of the Kings sat at a table and enjoyed his favourite pastime, a large glass of the best wine available.

"Back already?" he greeted his student after he had let him in.

"Yep. Assignment completed," he reported.

"Is that so?" Nephrite couldn't believe it. "You have asked the stars?"

"Yep," Obsidian nodded eagerly. "I even brought one of them back with me." He showed him the key-ring with the star tag. "You can read its wisdom for yourself." He pointed at the inscription _Welcome to Hollywood_.

First Nephrite looked perplexed, then he became aware of the fact that Obsidian only wanted to tease him again. He took a deep breath and hurled a string of curses and swear words at Obsidian who only looked interested at his teacher. There were some new creations among the curses that he hadn't heard before.

Nephrite churned. Unfortunately he wasn't allowed to fry his pupil, as the young man stood under the protection of Queen Beryl herself. Hm. Maybe if he arranged it so that it looked like an accident? Finally he dismissed Obsidian when he didn't find any further swear words for him, and the young man teleported home as fast as possible.

The End of Pt.10

**Disclaimer**: _SailorMoon_ is the property of Takeuchi Naoko, Kodansha and Toei Animation. All characters, settings etc. are used without permission. This is an amateur fiction, and I definitely won't make any money of it.

© by Stayka deyAvemta (zoisite(at)dark-kingdom.de) and Shavana Rhea Dark Kingdom Home at http/www.dark-kingdom.de


	7. Chapter 7: Bye bye, Hollywood

**Bye-bye, Hollywood**

**(Tales from the Dark Kingdom - Pt.11)**

**© 1997/10/21 by Stayka deyAvemta & Shavana Rhea**

"I hate it!" Zoisite hurled an energy blast at a vase that he had never liked. It exploded into a myriad of splinters.

"I know. You said that at least a dozen times only today. But I would appreciate it, if you didn't blast our furniture into pieces." Kunzite stepped behind his beloved and wrapped his arms around him.

"It was only a silly vase - the one you said you didn't like anyway." Zoisite leaned back against him.

"I know. But still..." Kunzite sighed and buried his face in Zoisite's silky gold-copper hair.

"But I _do_ hate it!" Zoisite sulked.

"It's our Majesty's order, and we have to obey."

"It's boring. We have collected energy there for at least three weeks now."

"Queen Beryl was very satisfied with the results, or she wouldn't have ordered us to go there again."

"Hm..." Suddenly Zoisite smiled wickedly. "That gives me an idea. If we aren't that successful anymore, she might send someone else." He turned around to face Kunzite and kissed him passionately.

- - -

Nephrite was really surprised that Queen Beryl hadn't been angry with Kunzite and Zoisite for more than three weeks now. It seemed they worked fully to her satisfaction and were successful with their energy collecting.

Unfortunately that was bad for him, as Beryl directed all her fury now at him, especially as Obsidian didn't show any progress at all.

Sometimes he had the impression, though, that Obsidian only pretended to be so dumb. He sighed and sipped from his wine, before his called his student to attend. He had to do something so that Beryl was satisfied with him as well.

Obsidian took his time as usual. It was almost half an hour later until he appeared at Nephrite's quarters.

Nephrite had managed to calm himself down by drinking another glass of wine and gazed reproachfully at his pupil. "What took you so long?"

"I was occupied," Obsidian replied and twisted a strand of his dark blue violet hair around his finger when Nephrite started to shout at him and tried to get it into his head that he had to come immediately when his teacher called.

Even though Obsidian lowered his gaze, after the first words he didn't listen to Nephrite anymore. Only when his teacher mentioned the word 'Hollywood', he became attentive again.

- - -

"Awwww, Zoisite..." Kunzite was disappointed that Zoisite refused to put on the short red dress that looked so nice on him.

"No," Zoisite declared. "Obsidian said no one would take me seriously when I'm clad in a dress, so I'll stick to the uniform from now on."

"And there's no way I can convince you otherwise?" Kunzite smiled and stroked the cheek of his lover.

"Well, maybe in private and for your eyes only," Zoisite said thoughtfully. "But nevermore in public."

"I can live with that." Kunzite pulled him in his arms and kissed him. "And now let's open a doorway to Hollywood again, little rat."

He waved his hand, and a black energy gate came into existence. They went through and appeared in the vicinity of the studios.

- - -

Nephrite ordered Obsidian to Hollywood, too. He swore he wouldn't take his eyes from his pupil again so that he wouldn't be able to play silly games anymore.

They desperately needed some successes, at least in collecting energy, so that Queen Beryl looked favourably on them again.

Obsidian sulked because Nephrite forced him to work, but he had no chance to escape. This time _he_ had to collect energy.

Frustrated he chose a crowded shopping mall and watched the crystal that he had positioned above the street. Time and again he gazed at Nephrite who waited in his vicinity and watched that his student did what he was told to do.

As rank had its privileges, Nephrite chose a nice café where he enjoyed an expensive glass of wine.

Obsidian was bored as usual. The crystal still wasn't filled with energy, and he wasn't allowed to make even one step aside without a reproachful glance from his mentor. This was more than dull, and Obsidian played with another energy crystal while he was waiting for the first one to be filled.

- - -

Zoisite ordered one of his youma to harvest the energy in another of the film studios. During the last three weeks he had taken care that they had directed their attention to different places so that it was not too conspicuous.

At least the assignments left him time enough to stroll through the city with Kunzite, although he would have preferred to spend the time together with him at home.

As they had to wait some time until the youma had finished, they went into a restaurant to eat, before they wandered around in the city again.

"I sense a familiar kind of energy," Kunzite remarked.

"So?" Zoisite concentrated. "You're right," he nodded. "Someone invaded our hunting ground and collects energy."

"The energy signature feels like that of the obnoxious student of Nephrite," Kunzite observed.

"Oh no, not him again!" Zoisite clung to Kunzite's arm as usual, when they reached the location of Obsidian's collector crystal. "Where are they?" The small man looked around.

"On the roof of that building and in the café," Kunzite replied.

Zoisite sighed. Why could Kunzite sense this almost effortlessly while he had to concentrate rather hard? It was really unfair.

Nephrite sensed his greatest rivals as well. He wasn't happy that they had noticed him here, because he knew they weren't pleased that he and Obsidian collected energy in their target area.

He thought a moment, before he disappeared from the Earth Realm without notifying Obsidian. His pupil should try to overcome certain problems on his own.

"Hm." Kunzite frowned. "Nephrite teleported away, although Obsidian is still on that roof."

"Well, one problem less," Zoisite smiled and rested his head against Kunzite's shoulder. "I really wonder why he was here anyway. I'm pretty sure Beryl didn't ordered him to harvest energy where we already work."

"I guess he was fed up to be bawled out by our dear Queen because he couldn't present any successes," Kunzite grinned and played with Zoisite's long, wavy hair.

Obsidian noticed Nephrite's sudden disappearance as well, but he assumed it was a test, if he still continued with his task even when his teacher wasn't around. So he stayed on his place and juggled with freshly conjured forms of energy.

"Kunzite, may I play with him a bit?" Zoisite looked up to his partner.

"It depends..." The silver-haired king grinned.

"I only want to tease him a little."

"Well, I can allow _that_."

Zoisite gave him an affectionate look before he teleported to the roof and sneaked silently up behind Obsidian. "Booo!" he made loudly. It would have been more fun to stab him with an ice crystal, but he was sure that Kunzite wouldn't consider this 'a little teasing'.

Startled, Obsidian whirled around. Zoisite at his back definitely wasn't what he considered safe, even when the small man didn't seem to have the intention to murder him for once.

"What are you doing here?" Zoisite demanded. "This is _my_ territory."

"It wasn't _my_ idea," Obsidian stated.

"How dare he!" Zoisite's eyes sparkled angry green embers. "I bet Nephrite wants to best me again!"

Obsidian shrugged and examined Zoisite. The pretty boy actually wore his uniform today, he observed. Zoisite folded his arms and floated in the air, and so Obsidian had to look up to him.

"Is there something else?" Nephrite's pupil asked.

"Why do you ask?"

"Your presence bothers me."

"One reason more for me to stay," Zoisite laughed.

Obsidian also folded his arms and looked up to him. No way that he would turn his back to him.

As the violet-haired man didn't do or say anything, Zoisite grew bored and teleported back to Kunzite.

"So, now I'm satisfied," he declared.

"Are you?" Kunzite arched an eyebrow.

"Oh no - not what _you_ are thinking..." Zoisite giggled and wrapped his arms around Kunzite's waist.

"Good for you," his partner said dryly.

Obsidian was glad when Zoisite finally disappeared. The fourth of the Kings made him absolutely nervous, especially when Kunzite wasn't around to restrain him. He looked at his crystal, but it still wasn't finished yet.

"We should do something to discourage them to hunt in our area," Zoisite mused.

"Do you have something in mind?"

"Let's blast their collector crystal!"

"They would immediately notice if you used one of your energy attacks. As they currently collect energy for Beryl, too, our Queen might consider it an attack against her, and that would be grossly unwise."

"And if we use a mundane method that can't be tracked back to us?"

"Such as?"

"Well, what about shooting it with a gun?"

"Are you able to conjure a working gun and hit something as small as a collector crystal with it?"

"Well... I don't know... But I thought maybe _you_..."

"So... You thought. It's _your_ idea, so _you_ have to do it."

"Awwww, Kunzite..." Zoisite kissed him.

"No."

Obsidian was still bored to death. He wondered where Nephrite had gone, but his mentor always disappeared when Zoisite came into sight.

Well, this meant he could leave the crystal where it hung and stroll through the city for a change. He was hungry and decided to find a nice restaurant that served big portions of food.

"Obsidian left his position on the roof," Kunzite reported.

"But the crystal is still there," Zoisite said enthusiastically when he sensed its energy emissions. "I can simply snatch it away." He teleported to the roof and held out his hand. The gleaming crystal floated to him, and he laughed gleefully before he returned to Kunzite.

Afterwards they went to the studio and fetched the other crystal as well. Zoisite was a little peeved that everything went well and he hadn't had any chance for a little sabotage.

Contrarily, now he had even _two_ well filled crystals, and Queen Beryl would be really delighted.

Obsidian ate heartily two big portions before he returned to the roof. To his dismay he found that his collector crystal had been stolen.

Well, this was not too bad, now he didn't need to stay here any longer, especially as Nephrite didn't reappear either. He decided to open a doorway and go back to the Dark Kingdom.

Probably Nephrite would claim that his disappearance belonged to his task or something like that. Nephrite always did when he didn't want to stay with him.

Anyway, he had to find a way to explain the abduction of the collector crystal. He chose not to tell it Nephrite as that would only cause another dressing down; he decided to go directly to Queen Beryl to complain to her that someone stole his crystal.

He was sure the thief had to be someone from the Dark Kingdom, but unfortunately he had no evidence, even though he suspected strongly that it had been Zoisite's work.

Just when Obsidian told Beryl about the theft, Kunzite and Zoisite materialized and bowed before their Queen. In the next instand Zoisite saw Obsidian. The small man blushed and tried to hide behind Kunzite's cape.

Obsidian gazed at them angrily, but kept his comments to himself.

Queen Beryl observed Zoisite's act with amusement. She always thought that it was good to stir up the competition between her warriors a bit.

"You have returned," she acknowledged Kunzite and Zoisite.

"Yes, my Queen," Kunzite said. "Zoisite's work was exemplary and crowned with good success." He shoved his student forward, and Zoisite presented her the two collector crystals. The young man's cheeks still looked rather pink.

"I am satisfied with your performance," Queen Beryl told Zoisite und examined him thoughtfully. Even though he looked so delicate and frail, he turned out to be one of the most determined and toughest of her warriors, it seemed. "Tomorrow you may continue with your harvest."

"Yes, my Queen," Zoisite said inexuberantly and gazed tragically at Kunzite. The silver-haired King didn't dare to comfort him in front of the Queen. Obviously (and most fortunately) Beryl still wasn't aware of their romantic relationship.

Obsidian couldn't stifle a grin when he saw Zoisite's enthusiastic look. Luckily Queen Beryl couldn't see it as he had turned his back to her when the other two Kings had arrived.

"I will see to it that Zoisite's training proceeds in due course," Kunzite promised.

"I expect that," she replied and waved her hands in a dismissing gesture.

They bowed again and teleported back into Kunzite's house. By now Zoisite spent most of his free time here, although he still kept his own quarters as long as it wasn't too widely known in the Dark Kingdom that he lived with Kunzite.

Queen Beryl sent Obsidian away as well before she called Nephrite. He got a severe tongue-lashing because of his conduct, and only the fact that he was still needed as teacher for Obsidian saved his head.

In any case, Nephrite was glad that he had gotten away that easily, but of course Beryl saved the worst for the end as usual...

"I think you should observe how a good teacher works. You will go to Hollywood, too, and show Obsidian how one collects energy properly. Should you have difficulties with your student, I advise you to ask Kunzite how he handles Zoisite."

Nephrite didn't like this idea at all. He was well aware how Kunzite managed to 'handle' Zoisite, and he had no designs to apply that method to Obsidian, although he didn't want to tell Beryl what he knew. It might come handy someday when he could blackmail Kunzite.

"You are dismissed."

Nephrite bowed his head and disappeared.

- - -

"Well, it seems we have to go to Hollywood again," Kunzite remarked with amusement.

Zoisite looked miserably. "Yeah," he sulked. "Maybe I should have left that crystal to Obsidian."

"True." Kunzite grinned. "I wonder if you'll ever manage to think before you act."

"That's unfair! I always think..."

"...afterwards." Kunzite chuckled and Zoisite pouted.

- - -

Nephrite and Obsidian set out on the way to Hollywood. Nephrite deemed it more secure as he didn't want to incite the wrath of Queen Beryl again. There _had_ to be a way to teach Obsidian satisfactorily.

But when he saw Obsidian all of his good intentions vanished in a second. He needed a glass of wine... But this time Nephrite refused himself the wish. He couldn't afford another failure.

Nephrite let Obsidian conjure a collector crystal that he should place in a location of his choosing. When this was done, he didn't put his eyes from either Obsidian or the crystal.

The student sulked as he wasn't even allowed to move. Now he waited for at least two hours that the crystal filled, and Nephrite forced him to stand absolutely motionless while he waited. This was boring.

Unfortunately he didn't manage to distract his teacher this time. Not even a discussion about different excellent kinds of wine helped. Obsidian was frustrated.

- - -

"I hate it!"

"I _know_." Just in time Kunzite managed to deflect the blast that Zoisite had directed at another vase. "Would you please cut that? This is still _my_ house, little rat."

"I'm sorry, Kunzite. But I'm angry that we have to go again."

"I noticed." Kunzite shook his head and stroked Zoisite's hair. "Get ready, little rat," he said softly.

The young man sulked, but he complied nonetheless.

Only half an hour later they materialized in Hollywood.

"_They_ are here again," the silver-haired King remarked.

"Well, let's set the youma to work in the studio," Zoisite suggested. "Then we can watch Nephrite and Obsidian."

"Good."

They did as planned and teleported to a roof in the vicinity of the other two men.

Nephrite stood with folded arms on a roof and observed every single movement of Obsidian, who pouted demonstratively.

Kunzite grinned. "They don't seem to like their work here either." He put an arm around Zoisite's shoulders.

"Yeah," Zoisite agreed and laid his head against the shoulder of his partner.

Nephrite noticed the Kings but refused to be distracted. He acted as if he hadn't seen them, just as he ignored Obsidian's pout.

His student was peeved that nothing moved him. He was sorely bored and wanted to be relieved from this silly job immediately.

Zoisite smirked when he noticed that Obsidian continously alternated between being angry and sullen. This was even better than the funny movie that he had watched with Kunzite about a week ago when they had waited for the crystal to be filled.

Obsidian tried to find a way to get rid of Nephrite. It was too bad, but he couldn't do anything as long as his teacher stayed in the vicinity.

Nephrite was almost as bored as Obsidian was, but he intended to present Queen Beryl a success this time.

"The only thing that lessens the fun is the fact that they torture themselves," Zoisite mused. "It should be _me_ who is the cause for their discomfort." He leaned closer to Kunzite who caressed his neck.

"You are vicious as usual, my little rat," the tall man smiled. "Why don't you just enjoy the view?"

"Well, maybe you're right..."

Nonetheless, after some minutes they decided to teleport back to their youma as the situation didn't seem to change any further.

Finally the crystal was full, and Obsidian called it to him. Thoughtfully he gazed at the shimmering stone. Why couldn't he leave it to harvest the energy on its own?

Kunzite and Zoisite got their collector crystal back as well.

"I still need to figure out a way to convince Queen Beryl that she has to find a more interesting job for us," Zoisite sighed. "This energy collecting is way too boring. The only consolation I have is that I can spend the time with _you_..."

Kunzite smiled and pulled him into his arms. "Well, at least this job is easy and not dangerous. And..." He interrupted the enumeration to kiss his beloved, "we get back home early enough that we have lots of time to spend together."

"Hm, you have a point," Zoisite admitted. Being together with Kunzite had even surpassed torturing Nephrite as his favourite pastime for the last weeks. "But still I want to show what I'm able to do."

"Don't be afraid, I'm sure there will be new and more difficult tasks soon enough."

They went back to the Dark Kingdom, where Queen Beryl commended them on another task well done and ordered them to continue the next day.

When she dismissed them, they teleported back to Kunzite's dwelling.

"_I_..." The fourth of the Kings lifted his hand and looked out for a viable target.

"Zoisite! You will go to the training range immediately," Kunzite said sternly. He wouldn't allow the impulsive young man to blast further pieces of his furniture.

"I'm sorry..." Zoisite grimaced wryly. "It's only that I'm a bit frustrated."

"I know, little rat, but I'd like you to vent your frustrations otherwise." He fished for Zoisite's ponytail and played with the silky, long hair.

"Do you accompany me to the training range?"

"Of course." Kunzite would never miss a demonstration of Zoisite's skill with ice crystals or fire as it was always a great display of precise, lethal beauty. He took Zoisite's hands and kissed his fingertips, before they teleported to the training area.

- - -

When Obsidian presented his crystal to the Queen, she was for once content with him and Nephrite. Of course she sent them to the next harvest tomorrow.

Obsidian almost couldn't believe it. Did they really have to go again? He was absolutely fed up with this boring assignment. It was at best a job for youma and other creatures of lower rank, but not for him!

He was so frustrated that he even ventured voluntarily to the training room. Obsidian needed to destroy something, but unfortunately he found no one who volunteered to be obliterated by him, and so some targets were the next best choice.

As usual Kunzite and Zoisite materialized about 5 feet above the heads of the practicers.

"There's _he_ again!" Zoisite pointed at Obsidian. He had hoped not to see him for at least the rest of the day. Well, that reminded him... He conjured a nice sharp ice crystal.

Kunzite caught his hand. "Don't, little rat. It's not wise to blast him here."

"Where else?"

"Well, when no one notices and you have an alibi."

Fortunately Obsidian wasn't aware of the happening at his back. He was fully occupied to hurl energy balls at the target on the far side of the booth.

Zoisite pouted and went to another free booth. Within seconds he riddled the target with about two dozen ice crystals.

Kunzite kept hovering in the air and watched both Zoisite and Obsidian. It was interesting, now that Nephrite wasn't in the vicinity, Obsidian's skills had vastly improved. Of course he didn't reach Zoisite's casual perfection, but the crystals, stars and flashes that he fired only rarely missed their target.

The silver-haired King applauded. "It seems you're not as incapable as you want to make your teacher believe, Obsidian," he commented ironically.

Nephrite's student whirled around as he hadn't heard Kunzite's approach.

"What...?" His eyes turned from gleaming red back to his normal blue violet.

"Nice shooting."

Obsidian shrugged. "Luck."

"Whatever you say..." Kunzite gazed back to the booth where Zoisite trained. His lover didn't seem to tire obliterating his targets with absolute accuracy, he observed proudly.

As he was interrupted, Obsidian's anger disappeared at once. When he left his booth he discovered Zoisite who placed his ice crystals with deadly precision. The small man was really good, he had to admit.

He decided to leave the training area, for he had some other matters to attend to. Nephrite would drag him to Hollywood tomorrow morning, and he had to find some means to get rid of boring jobs like this.

Kunzite stepped behind Zoisite and put a hand on his shoulder. "Feeling better, little rat?"

"Yes." He looked up to his mentor. "We _have_ to find a way to get a new and more exciting assignment."

"I will think about it," Kunzite promised. "Now let's go back home. I'd like to spend the rest of the day with you there and not on the training range. I wish to relax a bit before it's Hollywood again."

"You're right." They teleported home.

- - -

When Nephrite collected Obsidian in the morning he was greeted by a tragic face. He didn't want to go. Unfortunately Nephrite wasn't bothered by his demeanor, and he commanded him to conjure a crystal and collect the energy.

This time Nephrite didn't stay with Obsidian, though. He had better things to do than watch a lowly student perfom his duty. He wanted to try out his other method of collecting energy again.

The auburn-haired King even found some people of whom he could take the energy when they were at their peak. The only problem he faced was the storing of that energy. Somehow a crystal just didn't work. Its capacity was way too small, and the energy immediately returned to the human. He had to devise something else.

Obsidian was bored again. As the crystal just hung in the air, he decided to occupy himself by trying out some tricks he had heard or read about. Finally he dug out his locator crystal to fund Nephrite. Fine, his mentor was pretty far away, so he decided he could fetch something to eat.

He went to a bistro and paid with stolen money as his mentor had done successfully before. When he returned to the roof he found that the crystal was almost full. Soon he would be allowed to go home!

Suddenly he felt something strange in the crystal. It seemed to vibrate out of tune. Obsidian frowned and observed it carefully.

Nephrite also sensed something weird. He had the strangest feeling that he had felt something like it before.

- - -

With a delay of about two hours, Kunzite and Zoisite managed to assume their position in Hollywood. Fortunately it was Kunzite's schedule, so he couldn't complain, for it was at least partly his fault that they didn't manage to get up earlier.

"Do you have any idea of how to blow the job so that Queen Beryl gives it someone else?" Zoisite asked.

"Not yet," Kunzite admitted. They placed their youma in the studios again and wondered what they could do now. The two Kings had done almost everything exciting they could do - they had tried out most of the restaurants, the movies weren't too interesting either - so what was left?

Zoisite suggested a café, and they occupied themselves with idle talk and soulful gazing into each other's eyes, while Kunzite still thought on a way to get a new assignment.

"Well - what's your plan?" Zoisite wanted to know.

"We could try to create a resonance in the collector crystal. If we're lucky it'll warp the energy flows around this area similarly to those in the European region, but not as badly."

"And if we aren't lucky?"

"Then we'll get the whole Paris disaster again and all of North America will be off-limits as well."

"We should try it anyway," Zoisite said thoughtfully. "Everything is better than this boredom. We don't even have an enemy who might spice up things!"

"We have to be careful not to alarm the youma when we unbalance the collector crystal."

"I'm sure you'll manage." Zoisite kissed him tenderly.

"Okay, I'll do it..." Kunzite knew that his partner wouldn't give up until he complied.

They sneaked into the studio and took special care to stay hidden from the youma who had to watch the crystal. Shortly after, the silver-haired man produced a resonance in the crystal that should blow it up soon.

They had to wait only a couple of minutes, until it became clear that they'd better leave the vicinity of the crystal. Kunzite nodded at Zoisite and they teleported back to the café.

Suddenly a forceful explosion blew up the studio (including the youma and the rest of the inmates) and shook the energy flows of the region.

"It worked!" Zoisite shouted exuberantly.

- - -

At the same time the crystals of Obsidian and Nephrite exploded. Fortunately, both men had sought a sound distance from the crystals when the first vibrations became manifest.

By now Nephrite was sure that someone had done this on purpose. He almost suspected Obsidian, but on the other hand the young man certainly wasn't able to do something like such a clever sabotage.

Obsidian was completely surprised when his crystal burst into a myriad of splinters. He was sure he hadn't done anything wrong. Certainly someone else was the culprit.

Nephrite decided to collect Obsidian and give Queen Beryl a full report of the happenings in Hollywood on his return.

- - -

"Indeed," Kunzite agreed. "And the explosion wasn't as powerful as the one we experienced in Paris."

He concentrated to check the energy flows. They were warped, all right, but they should be back to normal in a couple of days.

"But we did it!" Zoisite grinned and sat down on Kunzite's lap. "And now it's bye-bye, Hollywood..." He wrapped his arms around Kunzite's neck and played with his long, silvery white hair.

"We'd rather return to the Dark Kingdom," Kunzite said. "I'm sure Queen Beryl will want to know what happened here."

They opened a doorway and appeared in the main audience chamber. Nephrite and Obsidian were already there.

"Nephrite, did your crystal also blow up?" Kunzite asked, all innocence.

"Yes," the second King answered. "I'm sure it was sabotage."

"Maybe it was the same enemy we encountered in Paris," Zoisite suggested.

"Maybe..." Nephrite frowned. He couldn't say much else if he didn't want to give away his involvement in the Paris disaster.

Kunzite barely managed to stifle a grin. "Anyways, it seems Hollywood is no viable source of energy anymore. We have to find something else."

The others agreed, and Queen Beryl looked at them thoughtfully. They were much too cheerful after such a failure, she found.

"I have to think about the occurences. You are dismissed," she declared, and the four men disappeared as fast as possible.

The End of Pt.11

**Disclaimer**: _SailorMoon_ is the property of Takeuchi Naoko, Kodansha and Toei Animation. All characters, settings etc. are used without permission. This is an amateur fiction, and I definitely won't make any money of it.

© by Stayka deyAvemta (zoisite(at)dark-kingdom.de) and Shavana Rhea Dark Kingdom Home at http/www.dark-kingdom.de


	8. Chapter 8: The Great Hunt

**The Great Hunt**

**(Tales from the Dark Kingdom - Pt.12)**

**© 1997/11/08 by Stayka deyAvemta & Shavana Rhea**

Queen Beryl had pondered quite a while on the last occurences in the Earth Realm. There seemed to be a big, unknown enemy who thwarted her intentions to collect enough energy to revive the great ruler of the Dark Kingdom.

First the enemy had managed to put Europe under some kind of screen - well, at least the energy flows in the region were that warped that conjuring or working energy had become difficult to impossible - and now the enemy had struck in North America as well. Fortunately there only the region around Hollywood was energy-warped, but still it was a nuisance.

She called her most powerful minions Kunzite and Nephrite with their students who had witnessed the attacks of the enemy firsthand.

After only a couple of minutes, the four men materialized and bowed before her.

"At your service, my Queen," they said almost simultaneously.

"I have a task for you. You will find the enemy that has thwarted our energy collecting missions in Paris and Hollywood, and you will destroy him, her or them immediately."

Kunzite exchanged a look with Nephrite. They had invented this enemy to cover some mistakes and get out of a boring task. This promised to become a fun assignment.

"Your wish is my command, Queen Beryl," Kunzite said mechanically, and the others replied something similar. "We will aspire to fulfill the task to the fullest."

Obsidian looked from Nephrite to Kunzite and back. He didn't understand how this should work.

Queen Beryl dismissed them, and they immediately teleported back into their quarters.

- - -

Kunzite was partly relieved that they didn't have to continue their dull energy harvesting sessions, partly he wondered how they could manage to deceive Queen Beryl successfully.

"Kunzite," Zoisite began hesitantly. "What are we going to do now?"

"We will visit Nephrite," the older King decreed. "When we have to fight a non-existing enemy, we need to work out something together - such as a little mock-fight, for example."

"Ah, I see. And when Nephrite and Obsidian die along the line, then it's solely the fault of that big bad enemy." Zoisite looked admiringly at his partner. Kunzite chuckled. His lover was as eager to finish off Nephrite as usual.

"Let's wait a little while with that, little rat. First we have to stage a convincing fight." They teleported to Nephrite's and rang at the door.

Nephrite was sitting down comfortably with a glass of wine and thinking about how one could simulate the big enemy that Beryl presumed to be around when the door bell sounded.

He got up wondering who might disturb him in his meditations and opened the door.

"Surprise, surprise!" Zoisite grinned, and Nephrite grimaced.

"What do you want?"

"Well, you know our enemy as well as we do," Kunzite said without preamble, "and you know the problem we now face."

"So what?"

"Well, I thought, maybe we could work out a way together how we can solve the problem."

"Maybe."

"I won't discuss this in front of the door."

Nephrite stepped aside to let them in. When they entered, Zoisite grinned at him wickedly, just for good measure. The auburn-haired King chose to ignore him. It was useless to get upset because of Zoisite; the small man would only view this as another success in annoying him.

"Well," Kunzite began when he had taken place in an armchair. "We could set up a mock-fight in Europe - me and Zoisite against you and Obsidian."

Zoisite sat down on the armrest and started to play with Kunzite's long, silvery white hair.

"Very funny," Nephrite stated.

"Why? That way we can easily make Beryl believe that there is a dangerous enemy."

"Sure, but of course it would also be a nice opportunity for you to eliminate someone..."

"If you think you are too weak to stand against us it's a pity." Kunzite pulled Zoisite onto his lap.

Nephrite gave him an angry glare. "There is no question that I would lose a direct fight against you, especially as you are two against me alone."

"And what about Obsidian?"

"Obsidian doesn't count."

"I've seen him at the training range yesterday when he thought he was unobserved. He's better than you'd think," Kunzite remarked.

"I don't believe it." Nephrite shook is head. Obsidian was incompetence personified. "Furthermore I won't trust him to actually back me up."

"That I can understand," Kunzite agreed and smiled affectionately at Zoisite. Fortunately he had someone to trust, even though much of it relied on a certain oath he had forced on him.

"Poor Nephrite," Zoisite said mockingly and snuggled closer to Kunzite.

"You shut up," Nephrite growled.

"Please, little rat," Kunzite said and caressed his cheek. "And you should refrain from adressing Zoisite in such a rude manner," he told Nephrite coldly.

"Don't worry, your sweetheart won't come to grief."

"Well, I don't fear for _him_..." Kunzite had noticed how Zoisite grinned malevolently at Nephrite and wrapped his arms around him to prevent any surprise attack. "You see, we _have_ to stage some fireworks so that Queen Beryl believes we're involved in a big fight."

"Unfortunately I have to admit that you're right," Nephrite said inexuberantly.

"Indeed." Absently, Kunzite played with Zoisite's hair. "I suggest you call Obsidian and we devise a plan."

"If you say so." Nephrite called Obsidian, but his pupil seemed to have lot of time.

"Your student seems to be rather disobedient," Zoisite taunted. "You might consider training him better."

"If that was so easy," Nephrite sighed, more to himself.

"What about torturing him a bit?" the fourth of the Kings suggested. "I'd love to assist you with that."

"Unfortunately I'm not allowed to."

"You're not allowed to? Who said that?"

"Queen Beryl."

"Well, she hasn't told _me_ that I'm not allowed to torture him," Zoisite mused.

"Do it," Nephrite said. "I won't hinder you."

"No? Great!" Zoisite's emerald eyes lit up.

"Zoisite," Kunzite warned. "If Obsidian is actually under the protection of Queen Beryl it _might_ be unwise to hurt him."

"Awwww Kunzite, you're a spoil-sport," he pouted.

At last Obsidian had found the way to Nephrite's house and rang. His mentor opened, but didn't comment on his tardiness. The violet-haired man was surprised. No dressing down? Was Nephrite ill?

When he entered the house, he discovered Kunzite and Zoisite. He frowned - what was going on?

"Hello Obsidian," Zoisite said sulkily, while Kunzite greeted him with a grin, before he turned his attention back to Zoisite and stroked the coppery golden hair.

"Hi," Obsidian replied and gazed from them to Nephrite.

"We have to work together once more," Kunzite announced. Zoisite grimaced, but stayed silent.

"Do we have to?" Obsidian made a face.

"Indeed. You have heard that Queen Beryl sent us to overcome the 'great enemy' in Europe, didn't you?"

"Sure," Obsidian said. "So what? The enemy doesn't exist."

"That's the point. We have to simulate a fight that convinces even Queen Beryl. My suggestion is that my - err, Zoisite and I stage a fight against Nephrite and you."

"No thanks."

"What's the problem?"

"It's way too dangerous."

"Coward," Zoisite remarked.

"So what?" Obsidian folded his arms and returned Zoisite's gaze.

"You are absolutely unworthy to belong to the troops of the Dark Kingdom."

"I never wanted to belong to them."

"Then why are you here?" Zoisite squinted his eyes.

"Queen Beryl wants it."

"What is that between you and our beloved Queen?" Zoisite wanted to know.

"That's nothing of your business!"

"Oh, do you have the honour to warm her bed?"

"Do I ask you where you sleep?"

"Oh dear, as if that wasn't obvious by now!" Zoisite grinned and gave Kunzite an affectionate look. "So, are you her little plaything, Obsidian?"

"No."

"Hm. And still she protects you?" Zoisite frowned. "Are you by chance her illegitimate son?"

"Who gave you _that_ weird idea?"

"Well, if one looks carefully, there is a certain family resemblance..."

Kunzite followed the dialogue with fascination.

"Utter bullshit!" Obsidian shook his head. "I don't resemble her more than any of you."

"Well, there are your eyes," Kunzite remarked. The red glow he had seen on the training range the last day had reminded him a bit of Beryl.

"You're nuts."

"There _has_ to be a reason that she protects you," Zoisite commented.

"But that doesn't have to mean that I know it."

"Oh. But I don't believe you that you don't know it."

Obsidian shrugged. "That's fine with me." He turned to Nephrite and Kunzite. "Why do you want to stage a fight anyway?"

"Because of the energy emissions," Kunzite explained. "If we only sit around idly, no one will believe that we fight a powerful enemy." He buried his face in Zoisite's silky hair and inhaled its fragrance.

"And why do you want us to fight against each other?" Obsidian asked.

Kunzite looked up again. "Because it amuses me. - Well, are you with us?"

"Can I refuse?" Obsidian sighed.

"Actually, it's Nephrite's decision," Kunzite remarked, while Zoisite was content to sit in his lap and enjoy his nearness.

"Okay," Nephrite said. "So that it looks real."

"Good. Then we should meet tomorrow. Until then we have other matters to attend to."

"Obviously." Obsidian gazed at the sweet picture that Kunzite and Zoisite portrayed.

"I suggest we meet after breakfast," the first of the Kings declared.

"What about an exact time?"

Kunzite set a time that was short before lunch, just to be sure.

"Oh-oh. Then I would have come several hours too early," Obsidian stated.

"We use to take our breakfast a little later. - Until tomorrow," Kunzite said. He waved his hand and created a doorway to his house, before he stood up, Zoisite on his arms, and went to his home.

"Bye..." Nephrite muttered. When they were gone, Obsidian disappeared as well, and Nephrite could turn back to his wine again.

- - -

"I..."

"If you start once more with 'I hate it' I have no alternative than to spank you for a change," Kunzite threatened with a grin.

"Oh no, you wouldn't do that, would you?" Zoisite gave him his best I'm-so-small-and-weak-and-have-to-be-protected look and kissed him.

"Try me..." There was a rather determined sparkle in Kunzite's platinum eyes. "So stop your nagging around - and blasting pieces of my furniture - and get into your uniform. It's almost time."

Of course Obsidian arrived exactly at the appointed time, and while Zoisite still enjoyed his morning shower, Kunzite was already properly dressed and opened the door.

"I'm ready to go," Obsidian announced.

"I can see that," Kunzite observed and finished brushing his glossy, silvery white hair. "Zoisite?" he called.

"Just a moment," it sounded from upstairs.

"He always seems to be late," Obsidian commented.

"Often," Kunzite sighed. A flurry of cherry blossoms turned into Zoisite who brushed the long, silky strands of his hair and counted. He had just reached 172.

"What are you doing?" Obsidian asked with fascination.

"176... - Well, I have to do at least 200 strokes to make my hair look best," Zoisite explained. Obsidian fished for a strand to examine it.

"Hey!" Kunzite objected. "He's _mine_!"

"All I did was look," Obsidian sulked.

"Well? It's perfect, isn't it?" Zoisite said proudly before he dutifully went over to Kunzite. "177..." About two minutes later Zoisite wore his usual ponytail again.

"Where's Nephrite?" he wanted to know.

"Late as usual," Obsidian stated.

"Obviously," Kunzite remarked and admired the coppery golden locks of his beloved.

When Nephrite materialized, he looked around astonishedly. "Oh, you are already prepared to start?"

"As you can see..."

"Then let's go!"

Kunzite waved his hand and created a doorway that led them to Paris again. It was rather straining, he discovered, to build a gate that reached through the warped energy flows of the continent.

When they had passed the doorway, Zoisite wrinkled his nose. "Somehow the flows feel really wrong."

"Indeed," Obsidian agreed. "Isn't that dangerous?"

"Well, at least we can't do any more damage here," Kunzite said dryly.

"That's true."

"In the worst case we can board a plane and fly to a place where the energy flows are still sound," Zoisite said when he had found that he wasn't able to open a doorway from here to anywhere, and teleporting didn't work either.

"And what are we going to do now?" Obsidian asked curiously.

"What about a little game of hide and seek?" Zoisite asked. "We hide and you try to find us, and when we see you we try to blast you."

"If you think that's a good idea," Obsidian said.

"Whatever you say," Nephrite added utterly devoid of enthusiasm.

"You should remember that conjuring things doesn't work here anymore, little rat."

"You mean..." Zoisite held out his hand and squealed in shock. "No ice crystals!"

"That's too bad." Obsidian frowned. This meant he wasn't able to conjure anything either.

"Lord Kunzite, you will protect me, won't you?" Zoisite wrapped his arms around Kunzite's waist and looked hopefully up to him.

"Of course, my little rat." He stroked the young man's hair.

"Why don't you go about and hide," Obsidian nagged.

Kunzite gazed at him angrily before he opened a new doorway and stepped through with Zoisite. It was really difficult, he thought, and it was also much more tiring than usual. He estimated that he was able to open a maximum of about six doorways until his energy reserves were dangerously depleted.

Obsidian waited impatiently, while Nephrite studied his fingers. One try with summoning the energies for opening a doorway had convinced him that it was foolish to squander his powers that way. He wasn't as powerful as Kunzite and even when he managed to build a gate it would leave him dangerously low in energy. He thought that his pupil could do something for a change when he was as motivated as it seemed.

Kunzite and Zoisite chose to go to a restaurant first. Short range telekinesis still seemed to work well enough, and after they had organized some money, they ordered a nice meal and wondered when the fireworks would start. Even when he couldn't conjure ice crystals, he was still able to invoke his energy attacks, Zoisite discovered with satisfaction.

When Zoisite and Kunzite were gone, Obsidian took out his locator crystal and tried to find them. Fortunately their energy patterns shone even through the warped natural fields of the area, and he got a bearing. Unfortunately they had to cross the whole town to get to them, and Nephrite refused to open a doorway, so they had to rely on public transport.

"Well, and what do you propose now?" Zoisite asked when they had left the restaurant.

"We could do a little sight-seeing," Kunzite suggested. "The Eiffel tower is a main tourist attraction, if I remember correctly." He only hoped that Zoiste didn't insist on strolling through the Parisian boutiques again.

"Whatever you wish is my command." Affectionately Zoisite looked up to him and waited for him to open a doorway. To his surprise he started to walk. "Kunzite?"

"It's too tiring to open doorways. As long as they aren't necessary we will walk," he explained.

"Are you _serious_?"

"Yes, little rat. Come."

With a curse Obsidian saw that his target moved. It seemed the hunt would take longer than expected as they couldn't reach them fast enough without being able to teleport or follow them by doorway. He only hoped that Kunzite also had to resort to mundane matters of transport, or they would never catch them.

Nephrite wasn't eager to catch up with them, and so he let Obsidian his way. He wasn't overly keen on the mock fight with Kunzite as he didn't trust Zoisite to leave it at a _mock fight_.

When they had reached the Eiffel tower, they took the elevator and lifted up to the platform.

"Great view," Zoisite commented, while Kunzite tried to sense Nephrite and Obsidian.

"Our pursuers come nearer," he observed.

After they had enjoyed the view a little longer, they set out on the way to the next tourist attraction, the Louvre. They definitely had the better part of the action when they set the pace. Obsidian and Nephrite certainly wouldn't find much time to admire the sights.

When Obsidian had located them at the Eiffel tower, he immediately ran in the direction, Nephrite, who vividly cursed, trailing along. They couldn't remember having run around on foot so much before.

The violet-haired man was frustrated. Whose idea was it anyway that _they_ had to play the hunters?

Nephrite leaned to a wall and tried to regain his breath. He should train some more, he found, but his pupil didn't intend to grant him any reprieve. Now he seemed to run in another direction...

They came nearer to their targets, Obsidian thought with satisfaction. Now they were only about one mile away. Unfortunately Nephrite got slower and slower. His mentor definitely shouldn't drink that much.

"They're coming closer," Kunzite observed.

"Well, maybe we could go faster?" Zoisite pointed to the entrance to the métro. They followed the stream of people that went underground and took the first train that arrived (they didn't have much choice as they still didn't understand any French).

When they departed, they found that they had covered quite some distance in a considerably short time. Unfortunately they were even farther from the Louvre now, if they understood the pictures on the map correctly.

Kunzite decided that they had to try another train.

Obsidian cursed loudly when he followed their movements via his crystal. They were much too fast, and they had taken even another direction. They would _never_ catch up with them, especially when Nephrite refused to go on any further.

Maybe they should look out for some matter of transport. Kunzite and Zoisite seemed to have found something... Obsidian had discovered the métro as well, but as he couldn't read the signs he had no chance to catch the right train. What could he do?

Finally he dragged his exhausted mentor to a café. Maybe they got an idea while relaxing with a good cup of coffee.

Kunzite and Zoisite had reached just another corner of Paris, but they still weren't any closer to the Louvre than before. Zoisite sulked and clung to Kunzite's arm. Not much later they also sat in a nice little café, sipped coffee and ate some cake, while Zoisite tried to convince Kunzite to open a doorway that took them directly to the Louvre.

Nephrite shook his head and stated that he would go no further. The other Kings certainly would come by sooner or later, so why should they run around and try to catch them?

Obsidian grumbled, but he found no means to convince his mentor to get up again. It was unfair - this was no proper hunt. But he didn't dare follow the others alone as they were much too dangerous adversaries for him alone.

Two hours later Kunzite had given in, and they had gone to the Louvre via doorway. Actually he hadn't done it so much to please his lover, but more to give his feet a rest. Normally he preferred to float around, but in this warped energy field it was best to preserve as much energy as possible for the really important feats.

They stayed in the huge museum and admired the artworks and other exhibits until it was closed. Fortunately there was still no sign of Nephrite and his pupil as Kunzite would have hated to put the beautiful exhibits in the Louvre in danger. Maybe he should take one or the other piece back home, he thought.

When Obsidian discovered that Kunzite and Zoisite didn't go any further, he tried to move Nephrite into action, but the second of the Kings refused to continue the pursuit.

The young man was frustrated and decided to get back to the hunt on his own, danger be damned. Better this than boredom, he thought.

"Kunzite, can we go back home now?" Zoisite pleaded. "We can tell Queen Beryl that our enemy was really cunning and hid before us..."

"Good." Kunzite closed his eyes and located Nephrite. The other King was alone and didn't move, while Obsidian was somewhere else. He opened a doorway to Nephrite, and they went through.

"Hi," Zoisite said cheerfully and waved at his dearest enemy. "We are going to finish for today." He turned back to Kunzite and gazed at him with affection.

"Okay," Nephrite replied. "I'm fed up with the job anyway."

"Where did you leave your pupil?" Kunzite inquired.

"I don't know. He wanted to search for you on his own."

"I fear we have to wait for him - or do you want to leave him in Paris? I don't think he is able to open a doorway from here to the Dark Kingdom." Kunzite sighed. He would be glad if he got out of this area; when he was back home he would lie down, relax and enjoy Zoisite's companionship.

"I refuse to wait for Obsidian. I think it serves him right to stay here for the night," Nephrite declared.

"Well, he's _your_ student." Kunzite certainly wouldn't leave Zoisite alone for a whole night.

"I don't think anything will happen to him," Nephrite said. "I'm going to enjoy the solitude without having to fear Obsidian's intrusion..."

"Whatever you say." Kunzite opened a doorway - the fifth for today - that brought them into his house. Nephrite immediately set out to his quarters, as he was still pretty tired, while Kunzite and Zoisite decided to use the spare time to further their relationship.

- - -

When Obsidian discovered that Nephrite had left him along in the strange city, he became really angry. This was more than unfair. What could he do? He was definitely not strong enough to open a doorway, but he didn't want to stay in Paris either.

Suddenly he remembered Zoisite's comment. He only had to leave the region with the warped energy flows, and then opening a doorway should be no problem anymore. Now the only question was - how could he manage to get far enough away from Paris?

- - -

"A-hem, Kunzite," Zoisite said surprisingly. "Haven't we forgotten something? - We should report to Queen Beryl before we go to sleep..."

"Err, well, I fear you're right..." Kunzite grimaced. He desperately needed some time to replenish his energy reserves.

When they materialized in the audience chamber, they met an impatient Queen Beryl who immediately demanded a report.

"My Queen, unfortunately our enemy is cunning, and it's not possible to open doorways in Paris," Kunzite claimed. "We still try to localize him or them."

"I hope you will be successful real soon," Beryl demanded sternly.

"We will do our best, Your Majesty." They both cast down their eyes and bowed before the majestic red-haired woman.

"Of course you will. You are dismissed." She waved her hand, and they teleported back to Kunzite's house. Finally they had the rest of the day for themselves...

Queen Beryl waited for a while, but when Nephrite didn't appear on his own, she called him and his pupil telepathically. Only Nephrite appeared. Obsidian was nowhere to be sensed.

When the auburn-haired King materialized, he was greeted by a furious outbreak of his Queen who demanded to know where he had left Obsidian.

"Well, there was this wild pursuit," Nephrite started and told her a chaotic tale of the horrible enemy who was so adept in hiding and leading them into traps and ambushes that they unfortunately got separated. He promised to go back immediately and bring back his student.

Beryl frowned and wondered why Kunzite's report had been much less violent. Well, as long as Nephrite brought back Obsidian it was okay.

"And if you don't bring him back, I'll put you to eternal sleep, enclose you in crystal and shoot you into the farthest reaches of deep space," she threatened.

Nephrite looked properly chastened and teleported out of the audience chamber to think. He didn't like it at all that he was supposed to return to Paris, especially when he had to be careful with his energy. After a short thinking break, he made up his mind to involve Kunzite in the Obsidian retrieval operation.

- - -

After the tenth sound of the door, Kunzite finally decided to get out of the bed. Zoisite pouted that he dared to leave him alone when they had just made themselves comfortable.

Kunzite looked for his house coat and found it under a heap of other clothes. He really should tidy up this mess in the bedroom once in a while... Finally he was prepared to open the door.

"You took quite some time," Nephrite stated and examined Kunzite with amusement. The tall man wore nothing but a shimmering, light blue house coat, and his long, silvery white hair was tousled.

"Be glad that I opened at all," Kunzite said coolly. "What do you want?"

"Your support, of course."

"Pardon?" Kunzite looked incredulously at him. "Zoisite will kill you first..."

"It doesn't matter if he kills me or Queen Beryl, I'd say."

"What's going on?" Zoisite floated down the stairs. He also wore a house coat, his in snowy white. "Nephrite! I'll kill you!"

"Well, you have to line up for that."

"Huh!" Zoisite landed next to Kunzite and immediately snuggled close to him.

"Well, if I don't find Obsidian as fast as possible, I'll get fried by Queen Beryl."

"Fine," Zoisite said irritably. That was why he had disturbed them? "The less work for me."

"And then Kunzite will be ordered to teach Obsidian as well," Nephrite threatened. "I'm sure he wouldn't have much time for you anymore."

Utter shock showed in Zoisite's emerald eyes. "I won't allow that!"

"It seems we have no alternative but to help him, my little rat," Kunzite said and regretfully caressed Zoisite's cheek and throat.

"Right." Impatiently Nephrite paced up and down.

"We have to dress first," Kunzite decreed.

"Agreed." Nephrite grinned. The two Kings running around dishevelled, barefoot and in house coats would give a ridiculous picture.

They teleported upstairs and managed to return only twenty minutes later, now properly dressed in their uniforms, although Zoisite still worked on his hair.

Nephrite had started to pace up and down again. He wanted to find Obsidian as fast as possible, so that he could get his well-earned repose.

Finally Zoisite had remade his ponytail and looked reproachfully at Nephrite.

"Are you ready?" Nephrite urged.

"No," Zoisite grumbled and gazed longingly at his lover. Kunzite smiled in return, but opened another doorway. The silver-haired King connected the gate to their exit point in Paris and grimaced as he felt his energy being drained. When they had reached the town, he probably would be able to create one more doorway, but that would be all unless he got proper rest.

Nephrite ran through the gate. He was in a hurry.

Kunzite and Zoisite followed him without haste. It was too bad that he couldn't his regenerate his energy down here, Kunzite thought worriedly. He hoped that he wouldn't need to do much magickal work, or they would have a severe problem getting home.

Nephrite tried to home in on Obsidian. His student seemed to be just at the other side of Paris, and moved in the direction of the airport, if he remembered the map of the town correctly.

"Well?" Kunzite asked. He had decided not to waste any energy sensing around.

"He seems to be at the airport."

"Well, I can't open another doorway if we want to get back to the Dark Kingdom after we'll have finished here."

"Well, I don't think I can do it, either," Nephrite admitted. "We have to find another way."

- - -

Routinely Obsidian checked his locator crystal. Interesting. Nephrite was back, and he had even brought Kunzite and Zoisite with him.

He wondered what this was supposed to mean. Had his mentor decided not to leave him alone in Paris after all? Or had he returned at the command of Queen Beryl who had noticed him missing?

The second possibility seemed to be much more probable, and so he decided not to make it to easy for Nephrite to catch up with him. It would serve him pretty well to be forced to run after him for a while.

- - -

"Obsidian is your pupil - find a way," Kunzite said, and Zoisite gave Nephrite a highly annoyed look.

"I think we should take the métro." They went underground and looked for directions. Finally Nephrite discovered a sign where an icon showed a stylized airplane.

"Lead on, we will follow you," Kunzite grinned and put his arm around Zoisite's shoulders. He had absolutely no intentions to help Nephrite more than by opening the doorways to the Earth Realm and back.

Nephrite followed the signs and shortly after they actually reached the airport. Only Obsidian was gone.

"Lord Kunzite, I want to go home." Zoisite sulked and looked at him with his best miserable gaze.

"I know, little rat, but we still have to find Obsidian."

Nephrite concentrated and checked the area for his pupil. When he found him he groaned. Now Obsidian was on the _other_ side of the town. This was definitely no accident.

"Well, where is he?" Kunzite asked.

"On the other side of the town..."

"We heard that before, didn't we?" Zoisite gave him an evil look.

"He's just there where we started."

"I'll kill him," Zoisite threatened. "No, that's too fast... I'll torture him slowly to death!"

"I think I might consider joining you," Nephrite grumbled. "But first we have to catch him."

"_You_ have to catch him. We'll watch," Zoisite said maliciously.

"And how am I supposed to do that?"

"He's _your_ student. Be creative," Kunzite grinned and buried his face in Zoisite's gold-copper hair. He loved the silky softness and fragrance of it. Mmh, this time he had used the peach shampoo...

Nephrite snarled something and tried to figure out Obsidian's next step, unfortunately to no avail. When he turned to Kunzite and Zoisite, he discovered that they were a little preoccupied at the moment.

The second of the Kings cursed and pursued his pupil who was always one step ahead, while the other two men trailed along. They were still a bit peeved because Nephrite had disturbed them by their favourite pastime when he had asked them to accompany him.

After one hour Nephrite still hunted Obsidian through Paris, and he became more and more angry. Zoisite wasn't happy either, but Kunzite took everything with his usual calm.

"Maybe we should try to lure him into a trap," Nephrite said thoughtfully.

"How?" Zoisite yawned. He wanted to get back into his bed. "Obsidian can locate us, and we are only three."

"Do you want to run after him for many hours more?"

"Well, why don't you call him and tell him he has to come immediately or we leave him for good?" Kunzite suggested.

"Oh yes, and we will simply declare it as an accident," Zoisite added and regretted that he couldn't conjure an ice crystal to underline the threat.

"I have called him already," Nephrite sighed. "He chose not to hear me - as usual. And by the way, I don't think Beryl will believe you the accident..."

"Not even when _I_ tell her?" Zoisite batted his lashes in his best 'absolutely innocent' look.

"Are you kidding?"

"That's unfair," Zoisite pouted.

"Well, then it's up to me again," Kunzite commented fatalistically and called Obsidian. He should have done that before.

Only a couple of minutes later Obsidian appeared from the métro station and looked as innocent as Zoisite when he wanted to hide something. "You called me?" he asked.

Nephrite stared incredulously at his pupil, then to Kunzite and back to Obsidian.

"Yes. I called you," Kunzite said with dangerous calm. "Why did you ignore the call of your teacher?"

"I haven't heard anything," the violet-haired main claimed.

"Let's return home," Zoisite urged and looked at his partner.

"Good. I will leave the punishment to Nephrite."

Obsidian chose to ignore Nephrite, and the second King became more and more infuriated. On the other hand he would be glad to be back to the Dark Kingdom.

Kunzite took a deep breath and collected the rest of his energy to open the doorway back. When the dark gate appeared, he staggered slightly, and Zoisite tried worriedly to steady him. Kunzite had to be really near the end of his power when he allowed himself to show such weakness. Zoisite was rewarded with a thankful smile.

Nephrite was more than glad that he didn't have to open the doorway himself. When he was back he would need every ounce of energy to deal with Obsidian. He ushered his pupil through the gate.

Of course they appeared in Kunzite's house again.

Nephrite ordered Obsidian to appear punctually tomorrow morning to get his punishment, while he wanted to report Queen Beryl that they had retrieved him successfully.

When Nephrite and Obsidian were gone, Kunzite barely managed to get rid of his boots and his cape, before he fell fully exhausted into the bed and was immediately asleep.

Zoisite sighed disappointedly and joined him. He wasn't sure if he should rather punish either Nephrite or Obsidian for the ruined evening or better both of them together.

- - -

In the next morning Obsidian went punctually to Nephrite's quarters, and his mentor gave him a load of the tasks he hated most.

Unfortunately Beryl had forbidden him to punish Obsidian otherwise. Nephrite really wanted to know what kind of relationship they shared.

Of course this meant that Obsidian had to spend much more time on the training range today than in the last week combined.

He absolutely hated it. Target practice, dodging, tactics - it was sooooo boring. And as Nephrite carefully watched, he had to try to seem worse than he actually was. It was annoying.

- - -

When Kunzite woke in the morning, he still felt tired, and his power level was far lower than he would have liked. He discovered that he still wore his uniform, and Zoisite gazed at him rather poutily.

He smiled and gave him a kiss, before he got up to take a shower. Maybe this would help him to wake up fully...

Well, if not the shower, he thought, then Zoisite, who had just slipped into the shower bath to claim the attention he hadn't gotten the night before.

Finally they made their way to the training range as well, because Zoisite wanted to see how Obsidian was punished. Kunzite was still energetically exhausted and decided that he certainly wouldn't go to Paris today.

Obsidian had spent more than three hours now practicing. He was getting tired, but Nephrite didn't allow him any rest. Obviously he wanted to make an example of him.

"Good morning," Kunzite said. He tried to maintain his composure, but Zoisite was well aware that he wasn't in top condition. Even Nephrite noticed that Kunzite looked tired.

"Good morning."

"I suggest we skip our visit to Paris today," Kunzite said. Seven doorways in that warped energy field were too much even for him.

"I agree," Nephrite nodded. "Maybe we should choose another place?"

"The whole Middle European region is as warped, just as the area around Hollywood."

"But there are places that aren't that bad off."

"But I still want to replenish my reserves. _You_ haven't done anything while we were there."

"I'm not as strong as you - I have to save my energies."

"Ah, and I'm supposed to exhaust myself!"

"Well, now it's done, and I will take care that Obsidian won't run off again."

"I hope so," Kunzite said sternly. _He_ had no problems to make anyone obey him if he wished.

Nephrite checked on Obsidian if he continued with his exercises. The young man still fired energy beams at the target, and the last shot only missed it by about three feet to the left.

When Zoisite noticed it, he decided to show-off a bit and hit his target with about a dozen ice crystals that all hit the exact center.

Obsidian was well aware of Zoisite and put the next shot about three feet above the target. As long as Nephrite watched he didn't want to appear too good.

Zoisite batted his lashes at the violet-haired man, before he returned to Kunzite who nodded approvingly.

Obsidian had the urgent need to stick out his tongue at Zoisite, but he didn't, as Nephrite would certainly use that as an excuse to let him practice even longer.

"I'll retire to my quarters now," Kunzite announced. "I just wanted to tell you that we'll continue tomorrow with our task, Nephrite. - And now I have other matters to attend."

"Me too," Zoisite grinned.

"Okay," Nephrite agreed. "Tomorrow at the usual time then." He turned his attention back to Obsidian and let him increase the difficulty of his exercises.

"Zoisite?" Kunzite looked at him invitingly, and for a change Zoisite opened the doorway, and they went home.

Kunzite returned to the bed, and Zoisite was really worried. He hadn't seen him that exhausted before. But on the other hand - Kunzite had opened seven doorways where he had not even come close to open one. Zoisite admired him duly.

Kunzite stretched out his arm, and one of the books about magickal effects floated from the shelf into his hand. While he relaxed he could as well try to find out if there was a way to work magick more efficiently within the warped flows.

Zoisite sighed. Even his best seductive efforts wouldn't keep Kunzite from studying when he had set his mind on researching something. So he crept to him into the bed and looked with him into the book. He could as well try to learn something, too.

The End of Pt.12

**Disclaimer**: _SailorMoon_ is the property of Takeuchi Naoko, Kodansha and Toei Animation. All characters, settings etc. are used without permission. This is an amateur fiction, and I definitely won't make any money of it.

© by Stayka deyAvemta (zoisite(at)dark-kingdom.de) and Shavana Rhea Dark Kingdom Home at http/www.dark-kingdom.de


	9. Chapter 9: Thunder in the Mountains

**Thunder in the Mountains**

**(Tales from the Dark Kingdom - Pt.13)**

**© 1998/01/19 by Stayka deyAvemta & Shavana Rhea**

"I think I have an idea," Kunzite said thoughtfully and closed the fifth book about magickal effects and techniques that he had researched in the last six hours. He still lay on the belly in his bed and had his head propped up on his elbows. "Zoisite?"

No answer. He looked to the place next to him. Zoisite obviously had been overcome by fatigue during the study and now smiled peacefully in his sleep.

Kunzite shook his head amusedly and stroked the cheek of his beloved with affection. Zoisite was beautiful beyond words, he mused and couldn't resist to kiss him softly on the lips. The young man woke up and squinted his eyes.

"Kun-Kunzite? Did I...?"

"You fell asleep, little rat."

"I'm sorry... I really tried to pay attention."

"Well, at least _I_ did, and I seem to have found something."

"And _what_ have you found, Lord Kunzite?" Zoisite sat up. His uniform was badly wrinkled; he really should have taken it off, but then he hadn't intended to fall asleep. On the other hand, he hadn't thought that Kunzite would leaf through those books for half a day either.

"Well, perhaps you will remember that I wanted to find a way to still work magick properly in those warped energy flows of the European region..."

"And? Did you?"

Kunzite nodded and stretched languidly, and Zoisite eyed him hungrily when he sat up and ran the fingers through his long silver hair, smoothing it back.

"Not exactly. But I found a way how we might erase the pattern in the flows that the explosion of Nephrite's crystal has caused. Actually it needs quite an amount of energy to do so - far more than we have collected so far - but I believe I can do it."

"How?" As usual Zoisite couldn't take the eyes from his lover's perfect frame.

"Fear is one of the emotions that sets free the greatest amount of energy in humans. So why not causing a natural catastrophe that plays with the deepest fears of a large amount of humans?"

"You mean like a typhoon or an earthquake?"

"Almost. I thought about a volcanic eruption. There are some locations in Europe that would be perfect targets - we would not even have to invest much energy to start it."

"You're so wonderfully inventive, my Lord Kunzite," Zoisite sighed. Kunzite smiled. He liked to be admired, especially by Zoisite who loved to show his admiration by rather palpable means - such as now, when he grasped his hand and kissed the palm. "Which location do you have in mind?"

"I want to blow up the Etna in Sicily. It's one of the most active volcanoes, and I think a nice big eruption would be just the thing to scare the humans in that area witless."

"And we can harvest their energy!"

"Exactly. And when we don't collect the energy for Queen Beryl, but use it to purify the warped energy lines, we have this energetically bountiful area for ourself, as I don't think that Beryl wants to use precious energy to send youma to inspect a region that I have declared off-limits. We just have to take care of Nephrite and this obnoxious twit of his, and declare that the supposed 'enemy' here is too strong. Then Beryl will direct her attention at other areas, and we can do what we want in Europe."

Zoisite wrapped his arms around Kunzite's neck and kissed him deeply. "And you allow me to play a little with Nephrite?" A cruel gleam flickered in his emerald eyes.

"If you wish." The story with the 'great enemy' would cover for everything that Zoisite did to his favourite arch-nemesis.

"I love you, my Lord..."

- - -

"Kunzite!" Queen Beryl thundered angrily. Where was this blasted insolent King this time? If he'd tell her he had been under the shower again, she would punish him in the name of the Evil Powers.

Instead of him, Nephrite materialized in the audience chamber. "Did Kunzite decide not to heed your call again?" he asked. "I'm sure he's otherwise occupied."

"I only hope he's occupied with his task to collect energy," Beryl shouted angrily. "If he isn't, I'll put him to eternal sleep!" The courtiers were shocked and murmured in hushed tones.

"I don't think he's collecting energy."

"Well, and what do you think he's doing then?"

"I guess he went on an outing with Zoisite."

"Why should he do _that_? He's supposed to train Zoisite, not to take him on a trip."

"It doesn't look too much like training, if you ask me."

"And what _does_ it look like?" Queen Beryl purred.

"As if they have a lot of fun together..."

"They aren't supposed to have _fun_! They're commanders of my forces."

"They don't act like that, though."

"So why don't you go after them and see to it that they don't _amuse_ themselves, but _work_!"

"If you say so..."

"_Indeed_!" Beryl screeched. "_You are dismissed_!"

Nephrite bowed and teleported away. Beryl's mood was worse than usual today, but at least he had managed to get around the energy collecting for now.

Beryl tapped the fingernails on her crystal ball. She ought to imagine a satisfying punishment for Kunzite once he dared to appear before her eyes again.

- - -

Nephrite concentrated to find out Kunzite's whereabouts. He seemed to be at home, and Zoisite was with him as their energy signatures showed. He teleported to the sinister looking, castlelike building and rang.

Kunzite just knelt at the floor of the living room in a heap of papers that showed the fault lines in the European region, so Zoisite, who was utterly bored by the preparations, opened the door.

"Nephrite?"

"Hi there," the auburn-haired man greeted and followed Zoisite to the room where Kunzite worked. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I decided to improve my knowledge of the Earth Realm," Kunzite said, stood up and straightened with a groan.

"Aha." Nephrite looked at the maps on the ground.

"What brings you here?"

"I have to check if you work as you are supposed to."

"We're figuring out schemes to collect energy," Kunzite claimed.

"Unfortunately," Zoisite sighed. "I have other ideas of how to spend my free time." He gave Kunzite a loving look and blushed slightly.

"Aren't you ever bored by _that_?"

"Absolutely _not_." Zoisite thought about the pleasures of the last night, and his blush intensified.

"Are you able to blush deeper still?" Nephrite asked with amusement.

"Graaa!" Zoisite stamped his foot on the floor. Kunzite chuckled and wrapped his arms around the smaller man.

"So what do you want?" he asked Nephrite.

"I check for your work morale."

"On whose behalf?"

"Queen Beryl suspects you're occupied with too many other things."

"And that's why she sent you to chaperone us?"

"Exactly."

"We don't need a chaperone," Zousite pouted.

"That wasn't _my_ idea. I only obey her commands."

"And what about your duties to train Obsidian?"

"That doesn't occupy me fully, she thinks."

"That's curious... Training Zoisite is a full-time job," Kunzite grinned.

"Well, I don't train Obsidian day _and_ night."

"Okay, now that you have checked on us, you can very well go back to your other duties," Kunzite said generously.

"But I have no other duties at the moment."

"Why don't you go and harrass Jadeite?" Zoisite proposed.

"That isn't in my job description either."

Zoisite sighed and leaned back against Kunzite.

"Well, then you have to join us while we collect energy in Sicily," the silver-haired man said.

"I'm ready," Nephrite grinned. Obviously Kunzite preferred not to have him around, so he would stay in his vicinity to find out what he really wanted to do.

Kunzite frowned and opened a doorway. He had to remember that seven doorways were the absolute maximum while he was in the European region, and that only when he didn't do anything magickal besides. Well, maybe he could 'lose' Nephrite somehow. When he left him there, his colleague would be in dire trouble to return to the Dark Kingdom.

Nephrite followed Kunzite who had put his arm around Zoisite's shoulders and led the way. They stood at the base of a conical mountain with a slightly flattened top that suggested a crater, especially as a thin wisp of smoke stood over it.

"What do you want here anyway?"

"Collect energy," Kunzite explained patiently.

"Here? This is a desolate landscape without any humans that might be harvested."

"That's partly true. Do you see this mountain? It's called Etna."

"So what? A mountain is a mountain."

"Well, I guess I should elaborate a little bit. The Etna is not only a simple mountain, it's a volcano - and I intend to blow it up."

"What?" Nephrite looked horrified at him.

"You see, on the southern foot of the volcano we have the city Catania with about three hundred thousand inhabitants. Imagine the amount of energy their mortal agony will yield!"

"Hm," Nephrite mumbled.

"We only have to climb the mountain to find the best spot to provoke the eruption." Kunzite didn't want to squander precious magickal energy to conjure another doorway. He had heavy magickal work to do, and they needed at least one gate to reach the city and another one to get back to the Dark Kingdom.

"Climb up there!" Nephrite groaned.

"Indeed. A little training might improve your figure," Zoisite giggled.

Nephrite shot him a deadly glare.

"Let's go." Kunzite began to walk the path that lead to the main crater. Nephrite trailed his colleagues. It couldn't be too far, he hoped.

The ascent went on and on, though. Zoisite sighed. It could have been so romantic, were it not for Nephrite's panting. And they really should haven taken something to eat with them; a little picnic might have been fun, too. He imagined himself lying on a blanket, head reasting on Kunzite's lap while his lover fed him sweets and other bits.

Nephrite grew more and more annoyed of the straining walk, but he wouldn't give Kunzite the satisfaction to get rid of him. The path didn't seem to end, and slowly but surely Zoisite grew impatient, too - especially as Nephrite still hadn't given up.

"How much longer is it, my Lord?"

"A little while. The mountain _is_ about 9700 ft high."

"I'm sure the path is _much_ longer," Nephrite wheezed.

"Of course it is. It leads up to the top in long serpentines," Kunzite lectured. Zoisite sighed. He wanted to be home, in his bed, preferably with Kunzite... Nephrite didn't say anything either. He needed his breath to climb on.

Kunzite grinned, even though he also felt the muscles of his legs. Unfortunately Zoisite hung heavier and heavier at his arm, and so he also hoped they reached the crater some time _soon_.

Why couldn't they have materialized directly at the crater, Nephrite asked himself. Probably Kunzite had done this only to annoy him.

Zoisite sighed tragically. They still hadn't gotten to the top, and he was almost done. Kunzite on the other hand obviously wasn't even a little bit tired. It was soooo unfair!

Slowly but surely Nephrite was fed up with this climb. He certainly would be flat-footed on his return. He was sure they would start the descent as soon as they had arrived at the top.

- - -

Quite a while later they reached the top of the mountain and looked down into the main crater of the Etna. It was a vast area where smoke poured from fissures and crevices and sulphurous gases permeated the air.

Nephrite grimaced. It stank horribly, and the ground shook slightly. He desperately wanted to be somewhere else.

When Zoisite saw the distress on Nephrite's face, he laughed out, although he didn't like the area either, especially as he wasn't able to open a doorway from here himself.

"And what are you going to do now?" Nephrite asked Kunzite. "Admiring the view?"

Kunzite closed his platinum eyes and spread out his arms to feel the energy patterns. It was an enourmous tension in the rock and deeper down in the depths of the earth.

Zoisite put the index finger to his lips. "Shhht! He has to concentrate."

Nephrite mumbled something inaudible.

Suddenly Kunzite opened the eyes again; they glowed bluish white from his magickal powers. More energy poured from his hands and seeped into the ground of the crater.

The rock heaved as slowly increasing quakes shook the mountain, and Nephrite looked uneasily into the crater. "Isn't that a bit dangerous?"

"That's the point," Zoisite declared as he watched Kunzite with utter admiration. "Isn't he just _gorgeous_?" His beloved was not only the most powerful of the Kings, the best thing about him was that he was _his_ alone.

"Hm," Nephrite made. He didn't like it here. The ground shook again.

Kunzite felt his energy dwindle and hoped the rest he held was sufficient. He had to keep enough to open at least the doorway to Catania to collect the energy of the people's fear and the gate back to the Dark Kingdom. It's would be a horrible strain on his resources, but he would manage somehow. It was all a part of the discipline, he told himself.

"How much longer will it take?" Nephrite nagged.

"Shhht," Zoisite hissed. "Kunzite has to concentrate."

Still his energy formed white blue tendrils of icy fire that oozed into the faults and fissures to wake the sleeping volcano.

"But it's boring, and the earthquakes grow worse."

"It was _your_ decision to accompany us." Zoisite examined the auburn-haired King. It might be fun to push him so that he would fall into the crater and slowly burn to cinders when the lava started to pour out. Zoisite sighed dreamily as he envisioned the charred remains of Nephrite.

"Don't look at me like this," Nephrite said angrily. "I won't give you the satisfaction of jumping into the crater."

"What a pity." When he shoved him, he _would_ fall, he thought.

"And if you consider shoving me, be assured that I have no problems to take you with me."

"You wouldn't!" Zoisite hissed and gave him a murderous glare. Another earthquake shook the ground.

Nephrite decided to change tactics and grinned at the pretty boy who almost exploded when he realized that the other man wanted to make fun of him.

"Do you want to compete with the volcano?" Nephrite teased.

Zoisite tried to float decoratively in the air, but his powers just didn't work here. He stamped his foot on the ground, when the volcano answered with another earthquake.

"It's much more dramatic than you," Nephrite commented. "You seem only childish."

At this snide remark, Zoisite tried to hit Nephrite, but the taller man simply caught his fist and held it effortlessly.

"Let me go," he hissed. It was so unfair that he wasn't as strong as Kunzite or Nephrite.

"No. If I let you go, you'll only try to hit me again." He changed his grip so that Zoisite could neither hit him anymore nor move too far.

"That's unfair," the small man pouted.

"Of course," Nephrite grinned.

"I'll tell Kunzite and he'll punish you."

"I thought he wasn't to be disturbed right now."

"Just you wait, Nephrite," Zoisite threatened and tried to free himself, but without being able to use his magickal powers he had no chance at all.

"Keep still!" Nephrite held him tighter. "Slowly but surely I understand why Kunzite always holds you in his arms." The other King certainly wanted to keep Zoisite from hitting him as well, when the little weasel got angry about something.

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?" Zoisite snapped.

"Nothing. But I must admit I take more and more pleasure in it..."

Zoisite tried to wriggle out of his hold so that he could at least beat him somehow.

"Cute." Nephrite looked down on the smaller man.

"I hate you!" Zoisite hissed. "I'll kill you some day - mark my words!"

"Yes, yes, I've heard you."

"_Take your hands from me_," Zoisite shouted. He couldn't stand to be touched by someone other than Kunzite, and Nephrite was even worse.

"Only when you keep still."

"I refuse to be ordered around by _you_!" Zoisite tried to kick Nephrite.

"Shall I tell you something? You need a thorough spanking."

"Don't you dare!" Finally he succeeded and kicked Nephrite on the shin.

"That's enough!" He held Zoisite with one arm and slapped him soundly on the backside with the other.

Zoisite looked at him scandalized and screamed and cursed at the other man. He was so loud that even Kunzite's concentration was disturbed.

"Would you two please stop playing around and keep the volume of your argument to a more reasonable level? I'm doing delicate work and I need to concentrate," he said icily.

"Tell that to your little plaything. He kicks me."

"That's not true! _Nephrite_ hit _me_," Zoisite whined. "I hate him so much, Lord Kunzite, please let me throw him into the crater!"

"I'm tempted myself," Kunzite said with dangerous calm and looked at his colleague. "Let go of Zoisite _immediately_. He's my personal property and no one but me is allowed to punish him, should the need arise."

Zoisite gave his lover a scandalized look. What was _that_ supposed to mean?

"Only when he promises neither to hit nor to kick me again."

"Zoisite, you _will_ keep quiet and refrain from attacking Nephrite," Kunzite said sternly. "Is that understood?"

"Yes, my Lord," Zoisite said meekly and lowered his gaze.

Nephrite gave Zoisite free and went back some steps, just in case. But much to his surprise, the small man stayed where he was. Kunzite turned his attention back to the volcano.

Nephrite didn't take his gaze from Zoisite while he waited for Kunzite to finish his work.

Suddenly the volcano shook violently, and Kunzite ceased the energy output and created a doorway. "Step through. _Fast_," he said calmly, and Zoisite jumped through without hesitation. Nephrite also hurried to get through, and Kunzite went last and closed the gate behind them.

They stood in a city where people crowded the streets as the ground vibrated dangerously. Darkness had fallen and earthquakes shook the city with increasing strength. Not far away they could see the volcano that spit out fountains of glowing sparks and orange-red fire.

"That looks really pretty," Nephrite commented. "And the people's anxiety and fear seems to yield quite some energy."

"My plan works perfectly." Kunzite grinned smugly as he harvested the energy that he would use to purify the warped energy lines of the European region.

"Still we shouldn't stay here too long." Nephrite saw a lava stream that slowly oozed down the mountain slope.

"First I have to fulfill my scheme," Kunzite said. "_You're_ free to go."

Nephrite made a face. Kunzite knew very well that he wasn't able to open a doorway from here..

Zoisite giggled. "Poor Neffy..."

"Shut up, I'm more than fed up with you."

"_We_ didn't invite you to follow us."

"Queen Beryl ordered me."

"And you follow all of her commands like a good boy, do you?" Zoisite sneered.

"Certainly. Just as you do, don't you?"

"Of course," Kunzite declared and looked thoughtfully at his beloved. He just couldn't understand why Zoisite was able to question Queen Beryl's orders.

"How much longer will it take?" Nephrite inquired.

"Until I have collected all the energy I need."

Nephrite sighed.

- - -

It became a very long and boring night for both Nephrite and Zoisite. Kunzite smiled and wove the energy in a pattern that interfered with the warped patterns and forced them back to the natural flows.

Nephrite amused himself with teasing Zoisite, and the pretty man gave all the insults back with venom. Kunzite chose to ignore the quarrel. As long as Nephrite was occupied, he wouldn't realize was he was doing here.

Suddenly the volcano erupted with a violence that led to an immense wave of terror in the people around. Kunzite was overwhelmed by the amount of energy and could help himself but get rid of it as fast as possible to prevent burning out his powers. Unfortunately this disturbed the delicate balance of the energy flows that he had reached, and everything returned to the former, twisted state.

Exhausted and frustrated, he barely managed to open the doorway back to the Dark Kingdom, and the three Kings returned.

- - -

"Nephrite, report!"

The second ranking of the Kings materialized in front of Queen Beryl and gave her a summary of the happenings. Of course he omitted everything that might cast a bad light on him, such as the little quarrels between him and Kunzite's pet.

"And where's that energy Kunzite supposedly collected?" Beryl shouted angrily.

"I don't know."

"_Kunzite, report_!"

This time the silver-haired man materialized immediately, even though he looked rather tired and shaken. "At your service, my Queen," he said and sank to his knee.

"Nephrite told me you collected a huge amount of energy - so _where do you have it_?"

Kunzite bowed his head. "Didn't Nephrite tell you of the unfortunate circumstances that led to the loss of the energy, too?" He gave _his_ summary of the happenings, before he recommended never to go back to the European region again.

"You bunch of incompetent fools," Beryl shrieked. "That happens when you try to set plans in motion that I haven't approved. As punishment you won't leave the Dark Kingdom until I will permit it again. No more shopping trips, no more visits to expensive restaurants! - Get out. _Now_!"

"As you wish, my Queen," Nephrite said dejectedly. Where could he now get a good bottle of wine? He teleported away.

Kunzite disappeared as well. He materialized in his house and chuckled.

"Zoisite? Beryl gave us 'detention' for our failure... We're supposed to stay in the Dark Kingdom for the next time. No more silly energy collecting!"

"Wonderful, my Lord." Zoisite went to him, put the arms around Kunzite's middle and laid his head against his lover's shoulder. "Then we have some more time to spend together. I'm really looking forward to it."

"So do I, little rat, so do I." Kunzite smiled at his beloved and kissed him lingeringly.

- - -

Queen Beryl looked at the courtiers who stood at attention in her audience chamber.

"Did you still not find the silver crystal?" she asked the youma who crowded the hall.

"No, Your Majesty," they answered in unison.

"Our great ruler demands that you use all of your energy for that. If you can't deliver the silver crystal, you're required to use the energy you possessed when you were still human."

Suddenly a blonde man in the grey uniform of one of the commanders of her forces materialized in a pillar of blue flames.

"Queen Beryl? Please give me the command to fulfill this task! My slave, the evil Morga has already begun to collect the energy of the humans."

"It shall happen as you propose."

"Thank you, my Queen."

The End of the Second Series of the Tales of the Dark Kingdom

**Disclaimer**: _SailorMoon_ is the property of Takeuchi Naoko, Kodansha and Toei Animation. All characters, settings etc. are used without permission. This is an amateur fiction, and I definitely won't make any money of it.

© by Stayka deyAvemta (zoisite(at)dark-kingdom.de) and Shavana Rhea Dark Kingdom Home at http/www.dark-kingdom.de


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